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People Remember New Haven Shooting That Killed One and Injured Police Captain

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“What I saw was a chaotic scene. You had people yelling, you heard sirens in the background,” recalled New Haven Fire Department Lt. Leon Brown.

Brown knew what he had to do when gunfire rang out outside his home Monday night.

“You never want to hear anything about a policeman or a fireman getting shot, and being that it was my front door, it wasn’t good,” Brown said.

Brown, who was off-duty at the time, said he had no idea that Captain Anthony Duff, a 20-year veteran of the New Haven police department was wounded.

Duff was also off-duty when he found himself in the middle of gunfire. As he tried to intervene, Duff was shot three times, including in the arm and the chest. 46-year-old Troy Clark of West Haven was killed. Brown said he attended to Clark as he laid on the sidewalk.

“It’s upsetting. Especially through violence, it’s not good,” Brown said of Clark’s death.

“People don’t care if the cop is there or not. They’re going to do what they’re going to do because they want to do it,” Chaz Carmon, President of Ice the Beef, said.

The anti-gun violence organization led a prayer vigil Friday night for Clark and Duff. Faith leaders were also expected to call for an end to the violence which has surged in the Elm City this summer.

“When you’re fighting against gun violence you get breaks. You don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said of their fight to end the violence.

His neighbors on edge, Brown, a father of two, says he’s still shaken by the shooting.

“Does it make you nervous as you go out and do your job?” we asked.

“Yes, very much so,” he replied.

Duff is still recovering in the hospital and received his first visitors Thursday. Meanwhile, New Haven police have not identified the suspect, who is still at large.


Woman Becomes 1st Female Marine to Pilot F-35B Fighter Jet

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A woman who attributes her success to "showing up prepared and working diligently" has become the first female Marine to pilot a F-35B fighter jet.

U.S. Marine Capt. Anneliese Satz, 29, of Boise, Idaho, completed the F-35B Basic Course on June 27, the Marine Corps announced in a press release last week.

Satz trained for four years, including in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Meridian, Mississippi, before arriving at Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina, in July 2018.



Photo Credit: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ashley Phillips

VA Wrongfully Denied $53 Million in Medical Claims: Report

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In one recent six-month period, according to a report from the VA's Office of Inspector General released last week, the VA left about 17,400 veterans to pay out-of-pocket for emergency medical treatment the government should have covered.

The report said that between April 1 and Sept. 30, 2017, veterans who got emergency care at non-VA facilities were forced to pay $53.3 million in medical bills they never should have had to pay, NBC News reports.

Members of Congress, including the chairs of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees sent a letter to the VA on Monday, demanding answers.

"No veteran should be afraid to seek care in an emergency room," said Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., who signed the letter. "Clearly the bureaucracy is favoring speed over accuracy, it's favoring efficiency over the health of our veterans. We've got to make sure that we're putting veterans first."



Photo Credit: Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Police Search Dodd Stadium After Bomb Threat

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Police searched Dodd Stadium in Norwich after a bomb threat was made online on Friday.

The comment was made on an online article in The New London Day newspaper, according to police.

Detectives were able to locate James Quinn, 44, of Waterford, who posted the threat.

Everyone was evacuated so police and bomb detection canines could search the stadium, according to police. The stadium was cleared before letting attendees onto the property.

Quinn faces charges including first degree threat involving hazardous substance and second degree breach of peace.

Norwich, Waterford and Mohegan Sun officers responded to the scene.

The game started following the search of the stadium.

Dodd Stadium is home of the Connecticut Tigers.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Ad Featuring Woman in Wheelchair Captures Young Girl's Gaze

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A picture of a 4-year-old Virginia girl who uses a wheelchair gazing at a beauty advertisement featuring a woman in a wheelchair went viral on Facebook.

Maren Anderson has a rare disease caused by a gene mutation. She uses a wheelchair to get around and doesn’t talk much.

“She does very brief, short sentences,” said her mother, Carolyn Anderson. “And she does a lot of pointing, a lot of non-verbal communication.”

Her parents were stunned when she abruptly stopped her wheelchair at Ulta Beauty in Leesburg Wednesday evening to look at an ad showing a model in a wheelchair.

“It was like she could just see the representation that she belonged in this world like everybody else does,” her mother said. “And it just really tugged at all of our heart strings.”

Carolyn Anderson took the photo and posted it on Facebook with the caption, “Well Ulta, you absolutely stopped my girl in her tracks this evening. It was mesmerizing to watch her stop, turn and gaze at this poster. So thank you.”

The post has more than 60,000 shares as of Friday evening.

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“It’s pretty amazing to see, and it's amazing the comments we get and the traction it has,” said her father, Tim Anderson.

“We love that this family shared such an amazing moment and were touched to see Maren looking at the image in our window – it makes us incredibly proud,” and Ulta Beauty spokeswoman said. “We feel even more inspired to continue to feature amazing people that help us shape how the world sees beauty.”

Ulta Beauty reached out to Maren and agreed to allow her to meet the model in the ad, Steph Aiello. They’re going to shop at the beauty store in Leesburg.



Photo Credit: Carolyn Anderson
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How Greta Thunberg Shifted World's Gaze to Climate Change

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Staring through a swarm of photographers and television crews, self-described introvert Greta Thunberg took the stage at a Swiss university last week, NBC News reports, to pointedly reiterate a message that has captured the attention of leaders and like-minded young women around the globe: The world must take drastic action now to avert ecological and civilizational collapse.

“We know that our future is at risk,” the small, soft-spoken 16-year-old Swede tells journalists at the start of a weeklong youth summit at the University of Lausanne. “We would love to go back to school and continue with our everyday lives, but as crucial as this situation is, as serious as this situation is, we feel like we must do something about this now.”

Thunberg — whose central point is that humanity must immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions that have unrelentingly increased since the start of the industrial revolution, resulting in global warming — is the driving force behind a movement that has seen more than 2 million teens around the world take part in Fridays for Future school strikes against climate change.

On Wednesday, she set off from Britain’s shores on a monthslong journey — she is sailing to avoid flying — that will take her to a U.N. summit on climate change in New York in September, and the COP25 conference in Santiago, Chile, in December.



Photo Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AFP/Getty Images

In Case You Missed It Weekend Digest: August 17

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To help keep you informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit five stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Officer Shot

New Haven Police Captain Anthony Duff is recovering after being shot on Monday night. Duff intervened in a shooting at Dixwell Avenue and Henry Street when he was shot multiple times. The victim of the first shooting died. Duff was rushed to the hospital where he is recovering. Police are still looking for the suspect. For more on the efforts that saved Duff's life, click here.

Gym Voyeurism Arrest

Police arrested a man they say was secretly recording men in a locker room a the LA Fitness in South Windsor. Police said gym patrons noticed a phone in an open locker and saw that it was recording. Officers arrested Antonio Selby after they say he approached gym staff and asked to have his phone returned. See more on the arrest here.

Nurse Headed to Prison

A former nurse at the Whiting Forensic psychiatric hospital will spend five years in prison for abusing a patient. Mark Cusson was one of 10 people charged in connection with the abuse of the same patient at Whiting. Cusson's attorney said they will appeal the sentence. For more on what Cusson was accused of doing, click here.

Number Neighbor Nightmare

A California woman who thought it would be fun to play the 'Number Neighbor' game by texting someone with a similar cell phone number to hers, ended up with a frightening ordeal. She says the person on the other end began sending texts threatening to kill her and even sent her videos of guns being loaded. See the rest of the terrifying tale here.

Hungry, Ron?

Actor and Oscar-winning director Ron Howard stopped by Frank Pepe's Pizza in New Haven this week. The world-famous pizzeria posted a photo on its Facebook page. Howard, who has directed dozens of films, including "Apollo 13," "Backdraft," and "A Beautiful Mind," is in New Haven filming another movie. For more on his visit, click here.



Photo Credit: NBC LA/NBC CT/Pepe's Pizza

Person Rescued After Vehicle Crashes Off Bridge in Oxford

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Oxford firefighters rescued someone after the vehicle he or she was in went over a bridge early Saturday morning.

Crews were called to Park Road around 2 a.m. after getting a report of a vehicle off of the bridge. Injuries were also reported.

When firefighters arrived to the scene, officials said they quickly stabilized the vehicle and the guard rail running through it.

According to fire officials, the patient's arm was pinned in the vehicle.

Crews removed the roof of the vehicle and extricated the patient. Authorities did not release information about his or her condition.

The Park Road Bridge will be closed until further notice.



Photo Credit: Oxford Center Volunteer Fire Company

Police Questioning Man in NYC Rice Cookers Rush-Hour Scare

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The father of a West Virginia man sought in connection to placing rice cookers in Manhattan that sparked a rush-hour scare Friday morning has identified him as Larry Griffin — a man with an apparent history of criminal activity.

A senior law enforcement official also confirmed to NBC 4 New York that Griffin was the person of interest. According to a source familiar with the investigation, a 911 call just after 1 a.m. Saturday for two people in need of assistance led them to someone believed to be Griffin. He was conscious and taken to Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, where officials planned to question him.

A cart believed to belong to him was recovered at the location, according to a second source familiar with the case.

Authorities had said they were looking to question Griffin — a tall, thin white man who was seen pushing a shopping cart near the Fulton Street subway station where two rice cookers were found Friday morning.

A third rice cooker was found next to a trash can in Chelsea, though an investigation is ongoing as to whether all are connected. Authorities did say all three devices were the same make and model. 

Police wanted to speak to the dark-haired Griffin, thought to be in his 20s or 30s, who was seen dropping the rice cookers in the Fulton Street station. They described him as a person of interest, specifically refraining from calling him a "suspect," but said they wanted to speak to him because of the rush-hour timing and busy location where he appeared to leave the first two devices. 

Police released surveillance images of him, which you can see below. 

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Acccording to Larry Griffin, Sr., he has not seen his son in a while, although he calls him occassionally.

When asked if his son was working, Larry Griffin Sr. told NBC 4 New York his son was panhandling in New York. A law enforcement official said Griffin was arrested several weeks ago in Harlem on a drug possession charge.

The Logan County Sheriff's Department, in West Virginia, says they were contacted by the FBI concerning Griffin.

Aside from him being considered a person of interest in the rice cookers scare and his legal troubles in NYC, Logan County officials say Griffin has a history of criminal activity and was arrested at least three times within the past eight years, with charges stemming from possession of a controlled substance involving weapons to the use of obscene material to seduce a minor.

Police in West Virginia say the younger Griffin also has an active warrant for his arrest for failure to report and for missing drug screens as part of his pre-trial bond supervision after being indicted by the Logan County Sheriff’s Department in 2017 for the charges of using obscene matter with intent to seduce minor and the distribution and display to minor of obscene matter.

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The NYPD gave the all clear on the third device, spotted near a trash can at West 16th Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea, around 9:20 a.m., about an hour after the department cleared two rice cookers found in separate locations within the Fulton Street subway station.

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The third device was found seconds after the others had been deemed safe. Chopper 4 was over the intersection, which was completely taped off. An item that appeared to resemble another rice cooker was spotted on the ground next to the garbage; members of the bomb squad were at the scene. 

Authorities didn't link Griffin to the third rice cooker. None of the three rice cookers were explosive devices, the NYPD said, after the string of discoveries sparked rush-hour fear in the heart of the city. All three devices were stainless steel, silver commerical-grade rice cookers with black handles; all three were empty.

The department's counter-terrorism unit had given the all clear at Fulton Street around 8:20 a.m. Friday, nearly an hour after law enforcement first converged on the station near the World Trade Center. Authorities said a subway rider alerted two transit officers on patrol in the station to one device. Cops responded and called in for additional resources. Then the second device was found. 

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The Fulton Street station, one of the city's busiest hubs, was evacuated as a precaution. Out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD says officers also searched nearby stations. There were no reports of injuries, but the morning commute was heavily disrupted for tens of thousands of subway riders.

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The MTA thanked straphangers for their patience, adding it was "so relieved" that the devices did not pose "an immediate risk to our customers."

Mayor de Blasio addressed the rice cookers during his regular WNYC radio segment Friday, saying, "We want to take these situations carefully and very, very seriously and act carefully on them. And this is the classic if you see something say something."

In September 2016, a man, Ahmad Rahimi, left luggage with two pressure cooker bombs on 23rd and 27th streets in Chelsea. The one on 23rd Street exploded and injured nearly three dozen people, none of them seriously. The device on 27th Street never exploded -- police responded after a woman spotted it and called 911. Rahimi was captured days later after a gun battle with police in Linden, New Jersey. He was sentenced to multiple life terms last year. 



Photo Credit: @_i_Ruben_/@NYPDCT/News 4
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Clear the Shelters: Live Coverage Across the US

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From coast to coast, animal shelters across the country have partnered with NBC and Telemundo stations to host Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption drive on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Check in on some of the shelters participating in this year's event and watch adorable pets meet their forever families in real time.

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IMAGES: Clear the Shelters Statewide Adoption Event

Rep. Tlaib's Grandmother in West Bank Still Hopes for a Visit

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Rep. Rashida Tlaib's grandmother says she does not understand what all the hubbub is about — why can't her granddaughter, an important person in America, stop by for a visit?

"It's been a long time since I've seen her — five to six years. But sometimes I see her on TV and talk with her on the phone," said Muftia Tlaib as she sat in the family's sun-washed garden in territory Israel has occupied since 1967. "Why didn’t they allow her to come here?"

On Friday, Rashida Tlaib announced she was canceling a visit to this small village, just hours after Israel changing its tune by granting the Michigan Democrat permission to go. 

"I can’t do anything. I’m really very sad," her grandmother, who is in her 80s, told NBC News on Saturday. "I hope, inshallah, that she will come back. I’m waiting for her."



Photo Credit: Khaldoon Eid / NBC News; Getty Images

Rising Humidity and a Weekend Shower Chance

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NBC Connecticut First Alert Meteorologists are expecting higher humidity to settle in over the weekend.

While there will be a lot of cloud cover on Saturday, there isn’t much rain expected.

A weak disturbance may help to kick off a shower or thunderstorm at any point on Saturday, but it's more likely Saturday night.

Humidity will be increasing through the weekend with dew point temperatures rising into the low 70s, which is oppressive.

By Monday, higher heat will move in with more sunshine and temperatures approaching the low to mid 90s.

We will be near 90 Monday through Wednesday which could mean another heat wave for the state.

More comfortable air is forecast to move in by the end of the week.

Get the latest forecast in your town by clicking here.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Cape Cod Beach Temporarily Closed to Swimmers After Shark Sighting

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A shark sighting Saturday morning has temporarily closed a Cape Cod beach to swimming.

Nauset Beach has been closed to swimming after a confirmed predation of a seal by a great white shark at 9:50 a.m., according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's sharktivity app.

Barring any other sightings, the water will be re-opened to swimming after one hour.

A number of shark sightings have closed the beach in Orleans multiple times this summer, most recently Friday morning when a great white was spotted about 60 yards from the shore.



Photo Credit: Boston Globe via Getty Images

Airport Worker Fired for Slipping 'You Ugly' Note to Traveler

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A security screener at a New York airport is out of a job after slipping a note to a traveler that read: "you ugly."

Neal Strassner was going through a security checkpoint at Greater Rochester International Airport in late June when the security guard handed him a torn piece of paper with those words scrawled on it, NBC News reported.

Strassner said he only recently obtained a copy of security footage from that day through the Freedom of Information Act.

"I called the airport and I tried to get the information and they said I had to talk to the county," Strassner said Friday. "I called the county, and they said that was the only way I could get it." 

After he passed through the checkpoint and began walking away, Strassner said he heard the worker yell back at him, “You going to open the note?”

The employee who handed him the note worked for VMD Corporation, a security company based in Virginia and contracted through the Transportation Security Administration. Strassner said the company had promised to contact him about the episode by Aug. 13. When he hadn't heard from them by Thursday, he uploaded the nearly two-minute long video to Reddit.

Within two hours, he said the company contacted him, which he attributes to "the power of the internet."

VMD did not immediately return a request for comment. TSA said the employee was fired.



Photo Credit: via Neal Strassner
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Obama Foundation Hosts Leadership Bootcamp in Hartford

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The Obama Foundation is hosting a bootcamp for its Community Leadership Corps program in Hartford this weekend.

Program officials describe the bootcamp as "designed to inspire, empower and connect young leaders ages 18-25 who are passionate about working with others, eager to deepen their understanding of their community and ready to take action."

The program, which lasts six months, includes three in-person trainings with online trainings and coaching support, officials added.

Program participants work in teams to complete a group project that focuses on addressing an issue or opportunity in their community.

On Saturday, there is a prototyping workshop and on Sunday, there is an Ideas Fest. The events will both take place at the Chrysalis Center, Inc. on Homestead Avenue at 4 p.m.

This bootcamp is "an opportunity for Community Leadership Corps project teams to receive feedback on their proposals and identify ways the Obama Foundation can support each other's teamwork," officials said.

After this weekend, teams will begin implementing their plans in their communities as they work to bring positive changes.

The Obama Foundation launched a Community Leadership Corps program in Chicago earlier this year and as well as in Phoenix, Arizona, and Columbia, South Carolina, last year.



Photo Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Philadelphia Standoff Suspect Charged With Attempted Murder

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The man suspected of shooting six Philadelphia police officers during an hourslong standoff is now facing multiple charges of attempted murder.

Maurice Hill, 36, was arraigned Saturday on multiple counts that also included aggravated assault, assault on law enforcement officers and reckless endangerment. Hill, who is suspected of firing more than 100 rounds during a standoff that gripped the city and the nation, was also denied bail.

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The standoff began in the Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and ended shortly after midnight Thursday. Two officers and three civilians were safely evacuated before the arrest, having been trapped for hours in the same home as the shooter. Another officer was also injured in a car crash while responding to the standoff.

Despite the heavy gunfire, everyone involved made it out alive.

Hill used an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun during the shooting, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who joined in on negotiations with the suspect during the standoff.

"I have to admit, I did not think that this guy was going to come out alive after several conversations with him and hearing a bunch of information throughout the afternoon," Ross said.

District Attorney Larry Krasner previously said the charges against Hill could ensure he will "never exit jail."

Hill has a criminal record that dates back almost two decades and includes convictions on illegal gun possession. He was first arrested as an 18-year-old in 2001 for illegally possessing a gun with an altered serial number, court records show. He was found guilty on five counts related to that arrest.

In 2002 he was arrested yet again and eventually pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy.

Hill would continue to be arrested over the years, with his crimes escalating in severity. In 2008, he was convicted of resisting arrest, criminal trespass and fleeing from police. Three years later, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and most recently was found guilty of perjury, in 2013.

Federal court records indicate he was convicted in 2010 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to four years and seven months in prison, plus three years of supervised release.

Hill's criminal record will be even longer after Wednesday's shootout.

In addition to attempted murder and assault, he also faces multiple counts of illegal possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful restraint and related charges.



Photo Credit: NBC10, photo supplied by attorney
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Woman Dies While in New Britain Police Custody

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An investigation is underway after a woman died while in New Britain police custody early Saturday morning.

Officers were called to a verbal argument on Saturday, where police said 45-year-old Tamara Mifflin, of New Britain, was found in violation of a protective order.

Mifflin was processed at New Britain Police Department without incident.

While in police custody, authorities said Mifflin suffered from an unexpected medical event.

Police and EMS attempted to revive Mifflin, but were not successful, investigators said. Mifflin was pronounced dead early Saturday morning.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the New Britain State Attorney's Office are investigating.

An autopsy is expected to be performed on Mifflin in the near future.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Thousands of People Enjoy Hartford's Dragon Boat & Asian Festival

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For another year, the popular Dragon Boat and Asian Festival drew thousands of people to Hartford’s riverfront Saturday and the colorful and spirited competition welcomed an international contender for the first time.

Seventy-one teams, including China, took over the Connecticut River and hundreds more cheered them on. China’s team arrived in Hartford on Thursday.

“It’s exciting,” said Michael Zaleski, President and CEO of Riverfront Recapture. “It gives the opportunity for some of our club teams to compete against the best of the best.”

The Empire Dragons NYC were revved up to row. The group of women are all breast cancer survivors and have been in sync for years, taking home first place many times.

“We have actually raced this year in Baltimore and in Vermont and took the golds,” said team captain Donna Wilson.

Wilson said they have been hitting up the Hartford race for the past decade.

“It’s really exciting. It’s fast moving. I think the people that run this particular race do a really good job. It’s a little tricky because you’re on a river, so there’s current and there’s a tide up and down.”

The fast-paced race is a thrilling event for regulars and first-timers.

“Cheering for the team, just have a good time,” said Wai Lee of Queens, New York. “There’s a lot of waiting time but just cheer on your team and see their fellow competitors. It’s really fun.” 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Emergency Crews Respond to People Trapped After Crash in Voluntown

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Emergency crews are responding to reports of people trapped following a car crash in Voluntown. 

At least four ambulances were responding to the scene on Ekonk Hill Road.  State Police tell NBC CT they are also assisting on the scene.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
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