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Rogue NYC Mover Scams Woman During Cross-Country Move: Cops

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A New York City moving man has been arrested for scamming a woman who’d hired him to move her belongings from Connecticut to California, police said.

Kirk Gillums was charged with second-degree larceny on Tuesday and held on $25,000 bond.

Westport Police say detectives began investigating the 54-year-old Queens man back in August after the woman reported her belongings never arrived in California.

Gillums had posed as the owner of the company and taken an initial payment from the woman for the move, according to police. On the day of the move, she also paid the balance of the contract.

When the woman was later asked to pay more money to have her belongings released and delivered, she caught on that she was being scammed, police said.

The woman created a GoFundMe page last summer titled, “Robbed Trying to Move to LA.” She says the moving company told her Gillums had been fired and that he apparently was using his old company email address to correspond with her.

The woman eventually hired another mover to haul her belongings across the country.

On Tuesday, Gillums was extradited from New York to Connecticut, where he was arraigned.

It’s not his first run in with the law. He was convicted of criminal possession of stolen property in 2008, according to government records.

It wasn’t immediately known if he had an attorney.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ivanka Trump Says She Believes Dad's Sex Misconduct Denials

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Ivanka Trump said she believes her father President Donald Trump's denials about accusations of sexual misconduct. The White House senior adviser told NBC News that the question posed to her was "inappropriate." But she said, "I know my father. So I think I have that right as a daughter to believe my father."

Speaking from South Korea where she represented the United States at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics, Trump also touched on her father's proposal of arming teachers and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

"To be honest, I don't know," Trump said when asked about whether arming teachers would make students safer. "Obviously, there would have to be an incredibly high standard for who would be able to bear arms in our school. But I think there is no one solution for creating safety."

She added that a teacher who was qualified to be armed "is not a bad idea, but it is an idea that needs to be discussed."

On the Russia investigation, Trump said she has not been interviewed by Mueller and echoed her father’s assertion that “there was no collusion” between Moscow and the Trump presidential campaign.



Photo Credit: AP
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Waterbury Police Investigate Threatening Snapchat Message

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Waterbury police investigated a threatening Snapchat message and said the incident appears to be a “transient threat.”

School officials said a student made threatening comments around a week earlier, but they were not reported until Friday.

On Friday, police started investigating a threatening incident that they said came from a “compromised (Snapchat) involving a Wallace Middle School student threatening to shoot up the school.

Police said it “appears to be a transient threat.”

Car Break-Ins Hit ‘Epidemic’ Levels in San Francisco

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An NBC Bay Area hidden-camera investigation provides a rare glimpse into a rising surge of criminal activity across San Francisco that continues to prey on the city's most famed landmarks and popular tourist destinations. San Francisco's nearly 30,000 car break-ins last year shattered previous crime records and illustrate an organized and elaborate crime operation that law enforcement calls an "epidemic."

It happens in seconds. A tap on the glass, a quick grab into the car. In less time than it takes to read these words, valuables vanish from a car: laptops, phones, passports. 

Alamo Square, the famed home of San Francisco’s Painted Ladies, is ground zero.  


‘It’s a Real Black Eye’

“They come in, drop the car off, just quickly run up and go take a picture, and the next thing they know they come back and their windows are smashed,” said one car break-in victim, who did not want to be identified for fear of his own safety.

Over the past two years, he has provided police with video of at least 50 car break-ins, recorded with his own home surveillance cameras.

“It’s basically one per week,” he said. 

He showed NBC Bay Area video of a vehicle that pulls up alongside a parked car in the middle of the day. As people mill around and take pictures of Alamo Square, a man jumps out of the car, breaks a window, and takes as much as he can carry.  In another video, a thief dives into a car through the broken window - his legs dangling in the air – as he grabs at the contents inside.

“It’s a real black eye,” said the man who recorded the crimes.  While he has been able to capture the crimes on video, he said he is frustrated at how few burglars police catch and lock up.

 

Car Break-Ins Reported to San Francisco Police

  • 2014:   22,0029
  • 2015:   26,040
  • 2016:   24,624
  • 2017:   28,984

(source: San Francisco District Attorney's Office)

Of the nearly 30,000 car break-ins in San Francisco last year, the police department made arrests in just 1.7 percent of cases, totalling 790 arrests, according to data provided by the police department and district attorney’s office. Of those taken into custody, most were never sentenced to jail time.

The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit outfitted a car with four hidden cameras to expose just how quickly someone can break into a car and get away.  Belongings were left visible inside the vehicle to mirror the average car break-in scenario.  The car was parked along a busy stretch of Geary Street near Japan Town for less than three hours before two men broke in at 9:20am.  Click the video below to watch the smash and grab from four different angles.


‘The System Needs to be Tweaked’

"We've seen a dramatic increase in both the numbers of incidents as well as arrests," said Lieutenant Mike Nevin, who heads the investigations team at San Francisco’s Northern Police Station.

Nevin, who has served with the department for nearly 23 years, also oversees the team of plain clothes officers who regularly conduct stings to catch those committing car break-ins.

Asked if he thinks the current system of catching and prosecuting criminals is broken, Nevin said “I believe the system needs to be tweaked. That’s for certain.”  

The police department unveiled a new plan in January which puts more officers on the street, including undercover detectives.  

By March, police Chief Bill Scott said there will be a property crimes coordinator who is responsible for car break-ins, bike thefts and burglaries at each police station. And - there’s the Park Smart campaign - an effort to make tourists and all car owners more aware of the risk of leaving anything at all in a car.  

Lieutenant Nevin is confident that the new measures will lead to more arrests.

“We need to have folks that are dedicated to these crimes -  which we do - and officers that are that are out there are, you know, willing and able to you know to make that happen.”


Criminal Gangs Behind at Least 70 Percent of Car Break-Ins

Law enforcement officials estimate that criminal street gangs are behind 70 to 80 percent of auto burglary incidents, according to a Civil Grand Jury report released in June 2016.  According to the same report, car break-ins throughout San Francisco cost victims at least $19 million per year.

So far, law enforcement have been unable to hit the brakes on what is now a rising number of car break-ins across the city.  Last year, at least 1,461 car break-ins were reported near Fisherman’s Wharf, 616 in Golden Gate Park, and 347 at the Palace of Fine Arts.  

“They find the reward greater than the risk right now,” said Nevin. At some point their luck is going to run out.”

Thieves break into upwards of 80 cars per day in San Francisco.

Ninety-Nine Percent of Car Burglars Not Getting Caught

“Ninety-nine percent of the people are not getting caught to begin with,” said Max Szabo, a spokesman for District Attorney George Gascon.  While the district attorney’s office prosecuted over 80 percent of those arrested for car break-ins last year, Szabo believes officers are not making enough arrests.

“Folks actually need to come out to the scene of a crime after an incident,” he said.  “You can't just say file the report online and wash your hands and it's done, because you're never going to resolve those situations.”

Of those convicted in San Francisco for car break-ins, at least half are sentenced to felony probation and jail time, according to Szabo.


New Way to Report Car Break-Ins, Submit Evidence

Last week, the District Attorney’s office launched its own online system, where car break-in victims can file reports and submit evidence directly to the district attorney’s office. 

“That's how we're going to effectuate a resolution of this epidemic, is by tying the individuals who are responsible for the vast majority of these crimes to multiple crimes,” Szabo said.

While it might appear the district attorney’s office is attempting to supersede the police department’s current system of receiving reports of car break-ins, Szabo does not see it that way.  

“We are working with the police department very closely,” he said.  “I think that, traditionally, this may not have been as much of a priority and I think that’s changing."


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1 Dead, 1 Injured in Crash on I-395 in Norwich

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A West Haven man is dead and a New Haven man has serious injuries after a crash on Interstate 395 in Norwich on Friday morning.

Police responded to the area of exit 13 on I-395 in Norwich at 1:45 a.m. and found a vehicle off the road.

The passenger, 37-year-old Christopher Vasquez, of West Haven, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police.

They said the driver, 43-year-old Felix Flores, of New Haven, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Backus Hospital.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police at 860-848-6500.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

ICE Detentions Reported Across Northern California; Mayors Speak Out

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials reportedly detained multiple people in the Bay Area cities of Napa, Pinole and El Sobrante and elsewhere in Northern California on Sunday afternoon, according to witnesses and immigration rights officials.

The San Jose-based immigrant rights group Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network, or SIREN, says a Rapid Response Network reported the detentions, which also were said to take place in Monterey, Sacramento and Merced counties. A SIREN spokesman also said ICE agents could be seen moving around movie theaters and taco trucks in those communities, apparently looking for any additional immigrants.

ICE did not disclose how many people were detained. But as many as 11 people were arrested, according to the immigrant's rights group.  

According to a statement from an ICE spokesman, deportation officers with ICE and Enforcement and Removal Operations "conduct targeted enforcement operations on a daily basis in Northern California and across the nation."

"ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security," the statement from ICE read. "ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. However, ICE no longer exempts classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States."


Reports of ICE's presence in Bay Area communities came one day after Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf alerted Bay Area residents of possible ICE operations starting "as soon as within the next 24 hours."

In a news release Saturday, Schaaf encouraged all undocumented residents to consult immigration resources after learning from many credible sources that ICE is preparing to conduct an operation in the Bay Area.

Schaaf explained she was sharing the information publicly "not to panic residents but to protect them."

Although she said ICE has used activity rumors in the past as a fear tactic, Schaaf continued to explain that she felt it was her duty to give families a fair warning of a possible threat.

"My priority is for the well-being and safety of all residents — particularly our most vulnerable — and I know that Oakland is safer when we share information, encourage community awareness, and care for our neighbors," Schaaf said in the release.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo also issued a statement via Twitter Sunday, writing "we've got your back" while addressing "our immigrant communities."

The messages from Schaaf and Liccardo come as ICE agents have stepped up their enforcement this year. Earlier this month, ICE agents went after 77 businesses in Northern California, and in January agents targeted nearly a hundred 7-Eleven stores across the nation, including two in Santa Clara. 

"While the vast majority of cities in America do cooperate with ICE, others force ICE to assign additional resources to conduct at-large arrests in the community, putting officers, the general public and the aliens at greater risk and increasing the incidence of collateral arrests," according to a statement from ICE. "Sanctuary cities and states are not immune from federal law."

Schaaf said she didn't have any information on the specific places where immigration agents were conducting their operations. 

Immigration attorney Patricia Castorena said anyone targeted by ICE officials should not open the door, remain silent, contact an attorney and avoid signing anything until speaking with an immigration attorney. 

She also said it's important that parents put in writing who they want to care for their children should they be detained. 

"The children should go with a family or neighbor, and you need to have a safety plan in effect," Castorena said. 

Many school districts throughout the Bay Area already have strict protocols in place to protect students and their families, and Oakland police are prohibited from participating in any ICE activities. 

Residents affected can consult Centro Legal de La Raza for more information on their legal rights to gain a better understanding of the options available in the event that they face detention or need legal representation. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Achillion Pharmaceuticals in New Haven to Cut 70 Jobs

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Achillion Pharmaceuticals in New Haven plans to cut 70 jobs.

The fourth quarter financial report for the biopharmaceutical company says it is launching a restructuring plan to advance existing clinical and late-stage preclinical factor D inhibitors and reduce expenses and that includes cutting around 70 jobs, or 20 percent of its workforce, to save $10 million in 2018.

"We are focused on executing against our 2018 strategic objectives with the goal of delivering transformative therapies to patients. We believe the operational expertise that Joe brings to his new role will strengthen our capabilities to achieve those objectives. While it is difficult to undertake a restructuring, we believe through efficient use of our capital, we will have the potential to build significant value in our Factor D inhibitor portfolio," Chief Executive Officer, Milind Deshpande said in a statement.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

In Photos: 1993 World Trade Center Bombing 25 Years Later

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This week marks the 25th anniversary of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, an explosion that killed a half-dozen people and injured hundreds more. Take a look back at an attack that rocked Lower Manhattan and shattered New Yorkers' sense of security.

Photo Credit: NBC New York

Garbage Truck Hits Pole in Southington

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A garbage truck hit a pole on Pratt Street in Southington Monday morning, closing the street and knocking out power out to more than 1,000 Eversource customers in Southington and Cheshire.

Fire officials said the crash happened just before 9 a.m. The driver hit a utility pole, taking down the pole and three transformers.

The driver was not hurt and was able to get out of the vehicle after the power was cut.

The damaged equipment caused 948 power outages in Cheshire and 206 in Southington. Power has since been restored.

Oil from the transformers spilled and is being cleaned. Officials said the oil is vegetable-based and not considered toxic.

Fire officials were unsure how long it would take to clear up and repair the damage. Pratt Street is closed between South Woods Drive and East Johnson Avenue.

The crash remains under investigation.





Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

East Hartford Street Lights Fixed After Months in the Dark

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The lights are back on along Long Hill Drive in East Hartford thanks a concerned NBC Connecticut viewer’s phone call.

An East Hartford woman contacted NBC Connecticut saying the street lights along a busy intersection had been out for a long time, and she was worried about pedestrian safety. NBC Connecticut investigated at night and found Long Hill Drive near Burnside Avenue was in the dark. Nine LED street lamps were not working.

In 2015, the town of East Hartford spent millions of dollars to convert to these LED street lights to save money and increase safety. At the time, the mayor’s office stated in a press release, “LED fixtures do not burn out all at once providing a more reliable source of light. A typical LED fixture will last about 15 years before needing replacement as opposed to high-pressure sodium lights which typically last only 6 years.”

So why were nine LED lights failing at once only three years after installation?

Public Works Director Tim Bockus explained to NBC Connecticut the problem wasn’t the lamps, but the power supply which was damaged in a fall storm.

“We received a call from a resident first week of November,” Bockus said. “It was right after the wind storm at the end of October.”

Bockus said the town of East Hartford filed a report with Eversource on November 16 and had been waiting for an update ever since.

“It’s frustrating,” Bockus added. “It’s not only unacceptable to the town I think it’s unreasonable for our residents who call us and have a legitimate concern that there are lights that are out, and we can’t get a response in a timely fashion.”

NBC Connecticut took those concerns directly to Eversource. Within an hour of our phone call, our crews watched Eversource contract crews arrive at the scene and begin repairs.

Eversource spokesperson Tricia Modifica tells us crews did initially respond in November.

“They assessed the situation, made the area safe, and the lines didn’t power any homes or businesses in the area so therefore it wasn’t a priority,” Modifica said.

But that’s when a mistake was made, and the work order was closed without addressing the street lights. In a statement, Eversource admitted, “Unfortunately, the ticket that was submitted in November was inadvertently closed out in our system. This caused the delay, which is not up to our standards, so we’re looking into exactly how this happened to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Now the street lights are working once again on Long Hill Drive after Eversource repaired over 200 feet of damaged overhead lines. The utility company maintains roughly 17,000 miles of overhead line throughout the state.

Have a question or concern about an issue in your community? Let us know. Email news@nbcconnecticut.com.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

NFL Player Drives Wrong Way Into Lincoln Tunnel, Hits Bus: Police

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New York Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue was arrested on DWI charges early Monday morning after allegedly driving the wrong way into the Lincoln Tunnel and hitting a bus.

Port Authority police said a driver went around traffic cones at about 2 a.m. Monday and entered the center tube of the tunnel heading eastbound, while traffic was at the time going westbound. 

The car hit a jitney with 15 passengers, of whom four were taken to hospital with minor injuries. 

Police said Donohue, 25, failed both a sobriety test and a breath test and was taken into custody. His passenger in the car was also arrested for disorderly conduct.

Donahue, a fifth-round draft pick, signed with the Jets last May and played four games before an injury cut short his season.

The team was not immediately available to comment on his arrest.




Photo Credit: Port Authority PD

Stoneman Douglas Shooting Survivor 'Grateful' to Be Alive

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One of the students who barely survived the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting thanked first responders and her doctors Monday as she continues her road to recovery.

Doctors from Broward Health North said Maddy Wilford suffered multiple gunshot wounds to her chest, abdomen and arm in the Feb. 14 shooting that left 17 people dead.

"I'm so grateful to be here and it wouldn't be possible without those officers and first responders and these amazing doctors and especially all the love that everyone has sent," Wilford said at a news conference Monday with her parents, doctors and the first responder who rushed her to the hospital. "It's times like these when I know that we need to stick together and I've seen a lot of positive posts about what's been going on at the school and I just love the fact that we're sticking together."

Coral Springs Fire Lt. Laz Ojeda became emotional while describing responding to the school.

"When the call came in we were almost dumbfounded, we couldn't believe it," Ojeda said.

Ojeda said Maddy was pale and badly wounded when she was brought to him amid the "organized chaos" of the scene. He said she made signs of life and was given a chest seal by a Broward Sheriff's Office SWAT officer, which may have saved her life before she was rushed to the hospital.

Maddy had severe injuries and underwent multiple surgeries before she was discharged from the hospital last Wednesday.

"We see these type of injuries almost every other day," Broward Health North Dr. Igor Nichiporenko said. "Because of our experience treating these patients we did an outstanding job and I'm glad that Maddy and her parents are here this day to celebrate her successful recovery."

Maddy's parents also took time to thank everyone who helped save her life.

"I am very grateful to be sitting here next to my daughter alive and well today," father David Wilford said.

Her mother, Missy, said her daughter will continue to recover along with the community.

"She's a fighter, and she wants to heal and she wants to get better," she said. "Madeleine is healing her wounds right now but we'll be healing emotionally for a while as we all will as a community."

"I'm just glad that I'm making a full recovery and everything's been going so smoothly," Maddy said.



Photo Credit: NBC 6
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Vehicle Crashes Into Milford Bakery

Parkland Deputy Who Resigned Not a 'Coward': Lawyer

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The school resource officer accused of not entering a Parkland school building during the Feb. 14 shooting that claimed 17 lives is disputing Broward Sheriff Scott Israel's account of his actions and the sheriff's "uncalled for attacks upon his character."

Attorney Joseph A. DiRuzzo, who represents Deputy Scot Peterson, released a lengthy statement Monday, denying claims that Peterson was a "coward" and justifying Peterson's actions during the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

At a news conference last week, Israel said Peterson should have "went in, addressed the killer and killed" the gunman. Israel said Peterson chose to resign and retire after he was suspended without pay pending an internal investigation. 

Stoneman student Brandon Huff has said he saw Peterson "just standing there," occasionally talking on his radio outside the school, and felt he could have done more to prevent further deaths. President Donald Trump said after Israel's news conference that Peterson "didn't react properly under pressure."

But Peterson's attorney contends that Peterson believed the gunfire was coming from outside the building, and that his response to that kind of threat was in line with the department's training.

"Sheriff Israel held a press conference a mere eight days after the tragedy and accused Mr. Peterson of failing to respond appropriately, with the clear implication that Mr. Peterson was responsible for failing to help the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," DiRuzzo said in the statement.

DiRuzzo said Israel has "maligned" Peterson and that the sheriff's statement was "at best, a gross oversimplification of the events that transpired."

"Let there be no mistake, Mr. Peterson wishes that he could have prevented the untimely passing of the seventeen victims on that day, and his heart goes out to the families of the victims in their time of need," DiRuzzo said. "However, the allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue. Mr. Peterson is confident that his actions on that day were appropriate under the circumstances and that the video (together with the eye-witness testimony of those on the scene) will exonerate him of any sub-par performance."

DiRuzzo said Peterson initially received a call of firecrackers in the area of the building and ran to the building with a security specialist. Once there, Peterson heard gunshots but thought they were coming from outside the building, DiRuzzo said.

"BSO trains its officers that in the event of outdoor gunfire one is to seek cover and assess the situation in order to communicate what one observes to other law enforcement," DiRuzzo said. "Consistent with his training, Mr. Peterson 'took up a tactical position between the 700-800 buildings corridor/corner.'"

Peterson initiated a "code red" lockdown of the school and was the first BSO officer to advise BSO dispatch that he heard shots fired, DiRuzzo said.

DiRuzzo said Peterson told the first officer to arrive on scene, a Coral Springs police officer, that he thought the shots were coming from outside, and the officer took up a tactical position behind a tree with his rifle.

Peterson also heard radio transmissions that indicated there was a victim in the area of the football field, which added to Peterson's belief that the shooter was outside, DiRuzzo said.

"Mr. Peterson had the presence of mind to have the school administrators go to the school’s video room to review the closed-circuit cameras to locate the shooter and the obtain a description for law enforcement," DiRuzzo said.

DiRuzzo said Peterson also provided his keys to the Coral Springs SWAT team so that they could enter the 1200 Building and gave BSO SWAT Command handwritten diagrams of the entire Stoneman Douglas campus for student evacuation.

"It is our understanding that Sheriff Israel acknowledged that the investigation remains on-going and that '[i]nvestigations will not be rushed or asked to jump to conclusions,'" DiRuzzo said. "But this is exactly what Sheriff Israel did, he jumped to a conclusion regarding Mr. Peterson’s performance on February 14th even though Israel claims that '[i]t is more important for us to wait and let the investigators get it right[.]' We question why this statement would not also apply to Mr. Peterson?"

Israel has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that multiple calls about the teen suspect were received by BSO in the years before the shooting.

Israel says he will not step down as sheriff, despite a call by 73 Republican Florida lawmakers demanding that he be removed from office. He said he will fully cooperate with an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into how his deputies responded to the shooting.

"Mr. Peterson is looking forward to cooperating with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation, which we hope will detail the events of that tragic day and which we believe will ultimately clear Mr. Peterson’s name," DiRuzzo said.



Photo Credit: Broward County Public Schools

Extra Police on Hand at Cheshire Schools After Threat Arrest

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There was an increased police presence at Cheshire Public Schools Monday after a high school student was arrested over what school officials are describing as a serious, generic threat.

Over the weekend school officials sent a note to the school community notifying them of the incident. That letter said that student, who was not identified, made a serious threat, but the threat did not identify any specific people or schools. Police arrested the student and determined there were no weapons available to the student.

Officials said there no immediate threat to the school community, but there were extra police on hand Monday as a precaution.

“This type of incident has played out in several communities with the heightened awareness of the past couple of weeks. Our staff has been vigilant about the importance of reporting concerning behaviors and statements. It is important that if parents or students see or hear things that they find concerning that they report them to the school and/or police as well,” the letter read.

The school district recently completed a security audit at all schools, and the superintendent said they are working to improve security. 

Cheshire police said the student was charged with first-degree threatening. The investigation is ongoing.

The superintendent's office is encouraging parents to answer their children's questions about these threats and violence and to go over safety protocol both at home and at school.

For tips on how to talk to your children about violence, click here.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Suspect Dragged Officer for a Miles at Speeds Nearing 50 MPH: Police

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A Groton police officer was taken to the hospital after the driver he tried to stop dragged him for a mile at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, according to police.

Police said everything started when the officer stopped a 2007 Ford Edge SUV on Route 1 (Fort Hill Road) near Route 117 just before 4 a.m. for a motor vehicle violation and smelled marijuana. Police said the suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Taj Dickerson, acknowledged having marijuana and told the officer he had a pit bull in the car.

The officer asked Dickerson to take the dog out of the vehicle for a search and he initially complied, got out and waited with his pit bull, police said.

While searching the car, the officer found crack cocaine, according to police, and police determined Dickerson would be taken into custody.

While they were trying to make arrangements for the dog, Dickerson rushed back to his vehicle, the officer chased after him and the two struggled.

Then Dickerson drove off with the door open, dragging the officer who was hanging out of the car, police said.

As Dickerson drove down Fort Hill Road, onto Poquonnock Road, at speeds reaching 50 miles per hour, the officer kept telling him to stop, police said.

At one point, it looked like Dickerson was driving right at a telephone pole. Fearing for his safety, the officer grabbed the steering wheel, turned it and managed to get away from the car, police said.

“At one point it appeared the vehicle was going to hit a pole. The officer was able to disengage, was thrown from the vehicle & sustained injuries," Town of Groton Police Chief Louis Fusaro Jr. said. “He’s pretty banged up. Imagine a vehicle going at a pretty high rate of speed, somebody getting ejected from it after being dragged almost a mile.”

A witness described the scene.

“I saw the traffic stop up ahead. And I heard the officer yell on the radio. The headlights from the suspect’s vehicle came out, away from the stop and ... they went by me. The driver’s door was open and when I looked in the rear-view mirror I saw him swerving over near the town hall.”

The officer was identified as Tyler DeAngelo. He has since been released from the hospital.

Police continued to pursue Dickerson into New London and stopped him on Eugene O’Neil Drive. He was taken into custody and charged with assault on a police officer, interfering with a police officer, reckless endangerment, unlawful restraint, threatening, possession of marijuana, possession of crack cocaine, and motor vehicle charges. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Dickerson is due in court Monday.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut/Groton Police Department
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'Florida Was Nothing': Threats Painted on Walls at High School in San Diego

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Surveillance footage may lead school officials to find out who left messages threatening violence and referring to the recent deadly shooting in Florida at Rancho Bernardo High School. 

San Diego police responded at approximately 7 a.m. to investigate the tagging of various buildings on campus.

Staff at the school used paper to cover up the messages. Some of the messages referred to the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Feb. 14 shooting at the school in Parkland, Florida killed 17 people and injured 14 others. 

Rancho Bernardo HS Principal Dave LeMaster sent a message to parents and students informing them of the threatening messages painted throughout the campus. 

"We immediately contacted San Diego Police Department who are on campus investigating. At this point, the SDPD do not believe this to be a credible threat," LeMaster said. "We will continue to have police presence on campus for the remainder of the day and throughout the week." 

LeMaster said after seeing the vandalism, many students opted to leave campus before first period. 

Keziah Bulatao was walking on campus when she noticed the graffiti.

“It said ‘Florida was nothing,’” the RBHS junior said.

Her father rushed back to the school to pick her up.

Even though she felt better going home than staying, she said she was upset about the time wasted because she had plans to finish up a project with classmates.

“I would rather be safe. Knowing that there was a school shooting recently, it’s best that we go home,” Bulatao said.  

Indresh Chaudhari has a daughter at the high school and could not believe what was happening.

“They don’t understand how difficult it is for the family, for the parents,” he said.

“It’s such a waste of everything,” Chaudhari said. “I have to be at my job. People have to be at their jobs. Kids have to be in their school, classrooms. They should be learning at this time.” 

Ann Fleming has a student who is a freshman at the school. She said she was upset about the news of the messages but didn't find it surprising.

"This seems to be the America we’re in," Fleming said.

“Making a decision between your kids getting an education or essentially potentially staying alive is a strange place to be in,” she said, adding that she's grateful the school district takes these things seriously. 

San Diego police officers were reviewing security footage, Poway Unified School District Superintendent Marian Kim-Phelps, Ed.D. said. 

"Perpetrators will face felony charges," she said. 

"We want everyone to be aware of the serious consequences of this type of crime," the superintendent said. "These threats terrorize communities and frighten parents, students, and staff and severely disrupt the school day. Our schools should remain places where our students feel safe enough to learn and grow."

There are 2,400 students enrolled in the school from the communities of Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Los Penasquitos, Sabre Springs and Carmel Mountain Ranch.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Outspoken Teenage Defector Becomes Thorn in N. Korea's Side

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A 24-year-old in Chicago is an unlikely thorn in the side of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, happy to be referred to by Pyongyang as a "poisonous mushroom" and "human rights propaganda puppet," NBC News reported.

Yeonmi Park fled the country in 2007 in a harrowing journey in which she was repeatedly sexually exploited and her mother sold into marriage to a Chinese farmer. Now she has an American husband and a newborn son and speaks widely about the struggle that was her childhood.

"I thought [former ruler] Kim Jong Il was a god who could read my mind," she said. "I thought his spirit never dies, and I never thought he was a normal human being."

Seeing the blockbuster "Titanic" helped her realize that life could be different, and now she advises a group that sends USB drives that include Hollywood movies and Korean pop into North Korea by balloon.



Photo Credit: Vincent Yu/AP
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Shell Casing at Southington School Was from Shoe Tread: PD

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A shell casing was found at DePaolo Middle School in Southington on Monday morning and a police investigation revealed that it had been lodged in the tread of a student’s shoe.

Police were notified of the incident at 10:53 a.m. Monday after the casing of a .22 caliber bullet was found on the floor in the Technical Education wing at the DePaolo Middle School.

They said school administrators narrowed down the list of students who had access to the area and they began an investigation.

Officials determined that a student who had gone shooting with a relative over the weekend had inadvertently tracked the shell casing into the area from shoe treads and they then found four more shell casings lodged in the treads of the shoes.

No further police action was taken or requested.





Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Coginchaug Student Arrested After Alarming Social Media Post

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A student at Coginchaug Regional High School in Durham has been arrested after an investigation into a social media post.

State police said the school contacted police at 1:12 p.m. Friday about a suspicious post and police determined that no physical threat was made, but said the post caused “annoyance and alarm and did disrupt the atmosphere of the school.”

After an interview with the student and a parent, the student was charged breach of peace.

The student is due in court on March 14.

No additional information was immediately released.


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