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2 Hurt in Bleacher Collapse at High School Baseball Game

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At least two people have been injured after a partial bleacher collapse at a high school baseball game in Trumbull.

Trumbull police and firefighters responded to Trumbull High School at 72 Strobel Road just before 5 p.m.

A bleacher holding spectators collapsed during a game between Fairfield Warde High and Trumbull High School.

Police say it appears the injuries are minor.



Photo Credit: Sports Fairfield

Resident Shot During Home Invasion in Montville

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A Montville resident was shot in the back during a home invasion on Thursday night and police are looking for the intruders.

State police responded to a home on Maple Avenue in Montville at 11:06 p.m. after receiving a report that someone had been shot.
 
When they arrived, they found a man who had been shot in the back. He told police that two masked men entered his home, hit him in the head and forced him into the kitchen, state police said.

As the resident tried to run, one of the intruders shot him, state police said.

The victim was treated at the scene and transported to Backus Hospital. Police said the injuries are not life-threatening.

A female resident who was in the home during the home invasion was not hurt.

Troopers searched the area for the assailants, but did not find them.

The investigation continues and anyone who saw anything or anyone in the area of Maple Avenue in Montville last night is asked to call State Police at 860 848-6500.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Part of Route 63 in Naugatuck Closed

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Route 63 in Naugatuck has reopened hours after a head-on collision that forced police to close down the road. 

The road was closed from 11:15 a.m. to just after 3 p.m. in the area of Cross Street and Beacon Valley Road.

No additional information was immediately available.
 

Car Dealers Respond to GM Car Defect Reports

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The fallout from Thursday’s report that General Motors sat on knowledge of deadly car defects for years could resonate strongly, not just for the embattled manufacturer, but for local dealerships as well.

“I’ve got a Buick and a Chevrolet in the driveway, and they’re older so they don’t have the ignition problem, but that’s probably it for G.M.,” says Frank Pugliese of Meriden. He’s just one of many venting disgust, not only because of the egregious ethics breach asserted by the report – at least 13 people died as a result of faulty ignition switches that caused Chevrolet Cobalt engines to shut down at full speed, also disabling the power steering and airbags, the report indicates – but especially in light of the G.M. bailout that happened at taxpayers’ expense during the same stretch of time during which people were dying.

“What did they know when they went to the court and they said, ‘Give us a shield against all liability, give us $40 billion in taxpayer money to bail us out?’,” an incredulous U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) asked Friday while speaking about the fiasco to media at Bob Thomas Ford in Hamden.

Senator Blumenthal also pointed out that the report was done by a former U.S. Attorney whose firm has a relationship with General Motors, and Blumenthal insists that the government must now step in with its own probe.

As painful as that past seems to be, another question still specifically on the minds of many G.M. vehicle owners is, what immediate recourse is there?

“People should not be hesitant about renting cars,” says Senator Blumenthal. “ They are not going to have to pay for them. G.M. will have to pay for them.”

That could mean quite a tab for General Motors to pick up, given a reportedly woeful undersupply of replacement parts at dealerships in Connecticut and perhaps elsewhere. One example is an unidentified dealership in Fairfield County, where the Senator says parts are available for just five of 61 recall cases at that location alone.

Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association president James Fleming, who met privately with Senator Blumenthal moments before Friday’s press conference, explains that the first step toward getting a rental, for anyone affected by the recall, is to bring the vehicle to an authorized dealership. Fleming tells NBC Connecticut that General Motors will be on the hook to cover the rental for as long as it takes to make the repair.

For those uncertain, Fleming says dealerships can always determine whether a particular vehicle is subject to a recall. In fact, he says, dealers will often automatically make recall repairs on cars brought in for other services, including routine maintenance. He also says dealers’ vested interest is in serving customers, not the manufacturer.

“They do all of this recall work for their customers; they’re all family-owned businesses.”

But it looks like the stain of association, based on the sentiments of people we asked, might cost those family-owned dealerships dearly for a long time to come.

“All these people knew for all these years, using government money to build these jokes, and that’s what they are. How many people are you going to kill?,” quips Pugliese as he loads groceries into his Mercury automobile.

Allysa Putney of North Haven is no less forgiving.

“I would be scared to death to take my six-year-old in a car and not know there’s a problem, and find out driving down the road that there is.”



Photo Credit: AP

New Britain Raises Taxes Following Budget Passage

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Property owners in New Britain will soon be paying 11 percent more in their tax bills.

The increase is the result of the new $216 million budget that the City Council passed on Thursday.

“It is not an ideal situation. It is certainly not the situation I want to be put in but it is necessary,” says New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart.

According to Mayor Stewart the city has been in the red for far too long. She knows the solution will not be a popular one, but says she is ready for the repercussions.

“I truly believe that it is the first step in putting New Britain back on solid financial ground and moving us forward to the future.”

Some long-time New Britain residents like Richard Iskra disagree. Iskra says what looks like a step forward could actually move the city two steps back.

“This isn’t a rich city. This isn’t Glastonbury or Farmington where people have a lot of money. I just do not think it is right," he said.

Iskra is one of many in New Britain who have had to cut back elsewhere to cover everyday expenses. He says it is becoming increasingly difficult to afford life in Connecticut and is eyeing potential living options down south.

“If you are a working person it is getting worse and worse. For New Britain to do this to the people of New Britain is just terrible,” Iskra said.

Mayor Stewart says it is simply New Britain’s reality, and reality is not always easy.

“Doing what is right doesn’t always mean you are doing what is popular,” Stewart said.

The tax increase is set to take effect on July 1.

Girl, 12, Stabbed "Wanted to Live"

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A 12-year-old Wisconsin girl headed home from the hospital Friday, almost a week after she was brutally stabbed in the woods and managed to crawl to safety, fueled by a powerful will to survive.

Police say two friends, also 12, lured the girl into the woods Saturday, where one held her down while the other stabbed her 19 times, apparently inspired by the fictional internet character Slender Man. The victim managed to crawl to a road where a bicyclist found her.

The victim's family said in a statement Friday, just after the girl was released from Waukesha Memorial Hospital, that she was excited to return to her family and pets and to begin her recovery.

"While we have kept discussions about the events of May 31, 2014 with her short, we did ask how she found the strength to crawl out of the woods," it added. "Her response was simple: 'I wanted to live.'"

Both suspects in the stabbing face adult charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, as a party to a crime. If convicted, they could each serve 65 years in prison.

A criminal complaint charging the girls says they were trying to pay tribute to the fictional character Slender Man when they committed the crime. The complaint says the girls believed the character was real.

Former Trooper Charged With Sexual Assault: Sources

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A former state police trooper is accused of sexually assaulting an 81-year-old woman at a Windsor Locks Hotel, a source familiar with the investigation told NBC Connecticut.

According to Windsor Locks police, 43-year-old Jeffrey LaPorto, of Windsor, met the woman at a hotel bar and went back to the victim’s room around midnight or 12:30 a.m. Friday.

Sources said the incident occurred at the Quality Inn hotel on Ella Grasso Turnpike/Route 75.

Windsor Locks police said the victim’s son called 911 around 2 a.m. to say his mother had been sexually assaulted. Officers found the victim suffering from “extensive internal injuries” and brought her to an area hospital for treatment.

A Hartford Courant story published in 2000 lists Jeffrey LaPorto as a recent state police trooper graduate. State Police Union President Andy Matthews said a trooper by that name that was terminated in Jan. 2011 and that the decision was upheld by an independent arbitrator in 2012.

When he learned of Friday’s arrest, Matthews described the alleged incident as “shocking,” adding, “That’s not how troopers conduct themselves.”

Neighbors of LaPorto on Michelle Lane in Windsor were surprised by the accusations and described him as a nice family man.

LaPorto is also a landlord and owns multiple properties in the West Hartford area, according to people familiar with his business.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of first-degree unlawful restraint.

LaPorto's bond was set at $250,000. He's due in court June 9.



Photo Credit: Windsor Locks Police Department

Elderly Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Children

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A 75-year-old man appeared in court today, accused of sexually assaulting two children over several years, according to police.

Kenneth Baker, of Old Simbury Road in Granby, was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, one count of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree sexual assault, three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and 14 counts of risk of injury to a minor.

Granby police said he allegedly assaulted two juveniles whom he knew and did not pose a danger to the general public.

Baker was held on a $400,000 bond and appeared in court June 6.
 



Photo Credit: Granby Police Department

Hartford Family Questions Response to 911 Call

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The parents of a Hartford teen want to know why it took police nearly an hour and a half to show up to their home after their teenage daughter was followed home and called for help.

"I've never been so scared in my life. I thought the police would be here fast," said Jannellie Roldan.

The 17-year-old says she was walking to her Hartford home after being dropped off by the bus Wednesday afternoon when she noticed an older teen boy walking on a nearby street whom she didn't know.

Roldan says he made his move when she went inside her house.

"Once I was done locking the door he ran to my door and was peeking inside and was trying to open my door," said Roldan.

Roldan was home alone and called her parents. They told her to dial 911.

She did, and told the dispatcher that someone follower her home and that the stranger was now looking in her windows.

At one point during the call, she told dispatch she was trying to hide in the kitchen.

The call lasted less than two minutes and ended with the teen being told help was on the way, but Roldan says time passed and no one arrived.

Her mom, Wilmary Mercado, says she called 911 twice herself, and officers came nearly an hour and a half after that first call.

"When the officer arrived here the officer told me it was a change of shift, so my daughter's case was put on hold," said Mercado.

Police told NBC Connecticut that during the time of the call they were dealing with a big carjacking, chase and crash.

When we reached out to Hartford Police Emergency Services, the operations manager said he was unaware of the incident but would look into it, adding that if there was a problem, it would be dealt with.

Mercado says her daughter is afraid to stay home alone and worries about the next time she'll need to call 911.

"Right now they don't even feel safe. They feel they have no one to call when there's an emergency," said Mercado.

Tracy Morgan Critically Hurt

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Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan is in intensive care following a six-vehicle crash along the New Jersey Turnpike that left one person dead and at least two others seriously hurt, state police say.

The 45-year-old former "Saturday Night Live" star, stand-up comedians Ardie Fuqua Jr. and Harris Stanton, and several other passengers were traveling north along the highway in a limo bus around 1 a.m. Saturday when a Walmart tractor trailer struck the limo bus, causing it to overturn, New Jersey State Police confirm.

The tractor-trailer driver, Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., was charged with one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release. Bail was set at $50,000 for Roper, who is expected to surrender, the release said. 

The crash, which happened about 15 miles north of Trenton near Exit 7A of the Turnpike in Cranbury, N.J., killed 63-year-old James McNair of Peekskill, New York and put Morgan and two others in critical condition.

Some early reports indicated the tractor trailer driver was sleeping at the wheel, but New Jersey State Police say there is nothing to suggest he dozed off.

"There is nothing that indicates that," said New Jersey State Police Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams. "There is no documentation that agrees with that."

Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon expressed his condolences for the crash victims and their families in a statement to the press.

"This is a tragedy and we are profoundly sorry that one of our trucks was involved," Simon said. "We are working quickly to understand what happened and are cooperating fully with law enforcement to aid their investigation."

"The facts are continuing to unfold," he continued. "If it's determined that our truck caused the accident, Walmart will take full responsibility."

A preliminary state police investigation found that the tractor trailer came upon slow moving traffic and slammed into the limo.

"The driver of the tractor trailer ...failed to observe the slow moving traffic ahead of him," Williams said. "The driver did observe the traffic, but it was too late. It was just prior to impact, he swerved to the left in an attempt to avoid the collision. But he was unable to."

The black Mercedes limo bus rotated clockwise, overturned on its left side and  crashed into several other vehicles, he said. Six vehicles in all -- two tractor trailers, the limo bus, an SUV and two cars -- were involved.

The crash was so severe, part of the limo's rear driver side was ripped away.

The "30 Rock" actor was flown from the scene to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. He is in intensive care.

Morgan's representative, Lewis Kay, tells NBC News the actor is expected to remain in critical condition for the time being.

"His family is now with him and he is receiving excellent care. We don't anticipate much of a change in his condition today but will provide a further update once more information becomes available," Kay said.

James McNair, a 62-year-old of Peekskill, New York, was killed in the crash, according to state police.  The Associated Press is reporting that 37-year-old Jeffrey Millea of Shelton, Conn. was also flown from the crash to Robert Wood Johson Hospital, where he is in critical condition. A hospital spokesman told the AP that Fuqua is also in critical condition, while Stanton has been treated and released.

All of the injured were on the limo bus.

One of the two drivers in the limo bus, 44-year-old Tyrone Gail of Rehobeth, Del., was visibly shaken while exiting Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Del.

Gail expressed his condolences for everyone involved in the accident before becoming overwhelmed by emotion and ending the interview.

Christopher Thompson, co-owner of limo operator Atlantic Transportation Services, said the eight passenger limo bus had another driver besides Gail on board. One was behind the wheel and another in the front passenger seat.

The second driver also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was shaken up by the crash, Thompson said.

"Atlantic Transportation Services extends our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those injured in last night's accident. We also give our sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of the one individual that passed," he said in a written statement. "This is a very difficult time and we appreciate all of the support and well wishes we have received thus far, and we ask that everyone pray for the recovery of those injured. Godspeed to all involved."


PHOTO: A photo of the overturned limo bus that Tracy Morgan was riding in on Saturday night. CREDIT: Charlie Benjumea

Morgan had a scheduled performance at Dover Downs Casino in Dover, Delaware, on Friday night. That's about 120 miles south of the crash point. The bus was chartered by the casino, according to Thompson.

Fuqua posted a photo to Instagram around midnight showing Morgan in front of a crowd. His Facebook page said he was opening for Morgan.

"This is what it looks like from the stage to see a standing ovation from 1,500 people," the photo's caption read. "Then we traveled back to NYC in style in a luxury Mercedes Sprinter. Road life is a good life!"


PHOTO: The aftermath of the crash showing the overturned limo bus.

A New York City native, Morgan started as a cast member on "SNL" in 1996 and spent seven years on the show. He later had his own show, "The Tracy Morgan Show," which lasted for just a season. In 2006, he portrayed the role of Tracy Jordan in the hit NBC comedy "30 Rock," created by "SNL" co-star Tina Fey.

Morgan grew up fatherless, one of five siblings, in a blighted section of Brooklyn, where he helped raise and support the family.

He once called his gift for being funny "a defense mechanism" for his miserable circumstances. As a teen, he started doing comedy on the streets to supplement the family's welfare income.

In recent years, he has struggled with alcoholism and has been arrested on drunken driving charges. He had a successful kidney transplant in late 2010.

The Turnpike was closed for more than five hours as officials investigated the crash. The highway was reopened around 6:30 a.m.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office will lead the investigation into the crash and the New Jersey State Police and National Transportation Safety Board are assisting. An NTSB spokesperson said the agency planned to send investigators to the crash scene Saturday evening or Sunday to focus on safety issues related to the trucks and limo.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Two-Year-Old Struck By Car and Killed in New Canaan

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A two-year-old boy who was struck by a car in New Canaan on Friday has died from his injuries, according to police.

Around 4 p.m. on Friday, police responded to Mill Road for a report of a child struck by a car. The child was transported to Norwalk Hospital and the car stayed on the scene.

The boy was first listed in critical condition after the accident. He later died.

Police say that the boy was struck when a vehicle was attempting to back out of the driveway. The car stayed on scene and the accident is under investigation.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Thousands Gather for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

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Thousands gathered in Bushnell Park in Hartford on Saturday morning for the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure 5k run/walk.

The Komen Race for the Cure Series raises funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer.

The group, founded in 1982, has raised and invested more than $2.5 billion for the cause.

The foundation was founded by Nancy Brinker, who promised her dying sister Susan Komen that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer.

The 5k race are held nationwide to help raise money. To find one near you and for more information,Click Here.

 

New Haven Man Shot During Robbery Attempt

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Police are investigating after a 41-year-old man was shot in the thigh during an attempted robbery in New Haven last night.

Kendall Woodson told police a teenager approached him on Winthrop Avenue between Maple Street and Edgewood Avenue and demanded money around 11:20 p.m. Friday. Woodson refused to hand over the cash and the teen shot him once in the left leg, according to police.

Police said Woodson was alert at the scene. He was taken Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect is described as a medium-complexioned black teenager standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall with a thin build and no facial hair. He was wearing a red shirt, red baseball cap and blue jeans at the time of the incident. Police said he left the scene on foot.

Detectives responded to the scene to search for evidence and speak with possible witnesses.

Anyone with information is urged to call New Haven police at 203-946-6304. Callers can remain anonymous.

Captain Burned in Boat Fire on Housatonic River

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The captain of a clamming boat that caught fire at the mouth of the Housatonic River on Saturday afternoon is being treated for third-degree burns on both arms, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

He was one of four people on board the boat when the fire broke out, the Coast Guard said. The flames were doused and the three other passengers have been taken to the hospital for an evaluation.

Boaters Bob and Joyce Kristoff were on the water at the time and saw the cloud of smoke around 12:30 p.m. They headed toward the burning vessel and saw three men in the water, one of whom was wearing a life jacket.

Joyce Kristoff said they pulled him onto their swim platform while other clam boats started spraying the flames and picked up the other men. They dropped the rescued sailor off at Knapp's Landing.

"Any boatman out there is your fellow boatman," Joyce Kristoff said. "You've got to help."

The Coast Guard responded to the scene, along with Stratford police and fire officials from the Stratford, Bridgeport and Milford fire departments.

Coast Guard officials said the boat was anchored in the water between Stratford and Milford.

According to the Coast Guard, the fire was knocked down just before 2 p.m. and the boat was towed to shore.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Bonavita.



Photo Credit: Stratford Fire Department

22 Shot, 3 Fatally, in Chicago

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Nearly two dozen people were shot, three of them fatally, in shootings across Chicago since Friday.

The weekend’s first fatal shooting took place around 1:45 p.m. Friday in the 1900 block of West Howard Street in the city’s Rogers Park neighborhood when an 18-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds to his torso and back, police said.

Police responded to the scene after receiving reports of shots fired in the area and found the teen unresponsive.

He was transported to Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston where he was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. He was later identified as 18-year-old Alante Vallejo, officials said.

A second person was also injured in the shooting, police said.
A 20-year-old man suffered a wound to his foot and took himself to Evanston Hospital in good condition, police said.

Officials believe the shooting may have been gang-related.

Also Friday, a woman was shot to death in the city’s West Garfield Park neighborhood.

Police said a 22-year-old woman was shot around 10:45 p.m. in the 100 block of North Keeler Avenue in what may have been a domestic incident.

Carnesha Fort was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was pronounced dead just before 11:30 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said.

Early Saturday, two people were shot in the city’s Washington Park neighborhood.

Police said officers found an 18-year-old man and a 20-year-old man in an alley in the 5600 block of South Wabash while responding to reports of shots fired.

The 18-year-old man was unresponsive at the scene and pronounced dead and the 20-year-old man was taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

The medical examiner’s office later identified the 18-year-old victim as Brian Weekly.

At least 18 other people were wounded in overnight shootings.

  • Around 10:45 a.m., police said a 27-year-old man was shot in the city's West Garfield Park neighborhood. The man told police he was in the 4000 block of West West End Avenue when someone exited a vehicle and opened fire. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where his condition was stabilized, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
  • Around 3:28 a.m. Saturday, a 20-year-old man was shot in the 4800 block of West Quincy Avenue. The man told police he was standing with a group of people when someone exited a blue vehicle and opened fire. The man suffered a graze wound to the foot and was listed in good condition at Loretto Hospital.
  • About 20 minutes earlier, two people were shot in the 4600 block of South Ellis Avenue. Police said they were responding to a call of shots fired when they discovered a man and woman wounded at the scene. Both were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment, police said. A 20-year-old woman was shot in the face and was listed in critical condition and a 21-year-old man was shot in the chest and leg and was listed in good condition. The man told police he heard shots and felt pain.
  • Minutes earlier, police officers witnessed a man shoot and injure someone in the 3600 block of West Shakespeare Avenue. The officers approached the offender who they say pointed a gun at them forcing them to fire. The officers did not hit the offender and the man then fled the scene, police said. Details surrounding the injuries of the person shot were not immediately available. Area North detectives are investigating.
  • Just before midnight, two people were shot in the 6100 block of South Wabash Avenue. An 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old man were standing outside when three people approached them and one person opened fire. The victims fled the scene after being shot and were later transported in stable condition at Stroger Hospital, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada. The 18-year-old man suffered a wound to the leg and the 19-year-old man was shot in the arm. The incident is believed to be gang-related, according to authorities.
  • Around 11:30 p.m., two officers and two suspects were wounded in a shootout during a traffic stop. Police said a man inside a vehicle fired at officers as they exited their vehicle during a traffic stop. The officers fired back at the man, striking him and a female driver in the car.
  • A 22-year-old man was shot around 10:45 p.m. while walking on a sidewalk in the 10100 block of South Aberdeen Street. The man was shot in the ankle and taken in stable condition to Little Company of Mary Hospital.
  • About 10 minutes earlier, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the lower back while walking with a group of people in the 1000 block of North Lamon Avenue. Police said a man approached the group and opened fire, striking the teen. The victim fled the scene after realizing he was shot and was later taken to Stroger Hospital in stable condition. Police believe the incident may have been gang-related.
  • Around 10:15 p.m., two people were shot in the 500 block of North Leclaire Avenue. Police said a 27-year-old woman was sitting in a car and a 15-year-old boy was walking on the block when an offender opened fire in the area, striking them both. The woman suffered a graze wound to her shoulder and was in good condition at West Suburban Medical Center and the teen suffered a graze wound to the back and refused treatment. Police said it was not clear who the target was.
  • Earlier Friday, a 30-year-old man was shot about 6 p.m. in the 4600 block of South Drexel Boulevard. The man, who police said was not cooperating with investigators, was shot in the leg and taken in stable condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The man said he was in a group when a man opened fire and hit him. No other injuries were reported.
  • Just after 4 p.m., a 27-year-old ma n was shot in an apparent drive-by in the 4900 block of West Augusta Avenue. The man told police he was walking in an alley when a passenger in a passing maroon sedan fired shots at him. The vehicle fled the scene and the man was taken in stable condition to West Suburban Medical Center. Police said the shooting may have been gang-related.
  • Around 2 p.m. Friday, a 24-year-old man was shot in another apparent drive-by in the 11200 block of South Marshfield Avenue. The man said a dark-colored sedan pulled alongside his vehicle and a passenger fired shots at his car, striking him in the ankle. The man was taken in good condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center, police said.

 



Photo Credit: Brad Bartley/NBC Chicago

2nd Arrest in "Bottle Bomb" Case

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Police have arrested a second suspect in connection with a “bottle bomb” explosion at a Largo, Maryland, movie theater.

Prince George’s County Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady said Michael Sean Hollingsworth, 23, of Takoma Park, was taken into custody on Friday and and charged with two felonies in connection with the May 24 "bottle bomb" detonation at the Magic Johnson Theaters.

Hollingworth is in custody of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections and is being held without bond.

Another suspect, Manuel Joyner Bell, was arrested last week for his involvement in the Largo incident. Bell also faces charges in Maryland and Virginia for separate “bottle bomb” explosions at different theaters. Investigators believe Hollingsworth was Bell's accomplice in all six of the incidents, said Brady.

An online trail led police straight to Joyner -- who admitted to setting off six bottle bombs at local movie theaters. Prince George's County police say Joyner was the only person who used the website Fandango.com to purchase movie tickets for the six shows during which bottle bombs exploded.

The bottle bombs were filled with acid and metal, according to fire officials. The material inside reacted, exploded the bottles and spewed acid. The devices are capable of sending the acid 20 to 30 feet, fire officials have said.

It is not known if Hollingworth has a lawyer.



Photo Credit: From Prince George County Fire Department

Woman Killed in Front of Husband

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A mother was shot and killed in South Los Angeles when she and her family were returning from celebrating her husband's birthday early Saturday, family members said.

Tynisa Guyton, 37 -- identified by her husband, Anthony Guyton -- was killed when two men jumped out of a dark-colored car in front of their home in the 1400 block of East 104th Street just after midnight and began to shoot at them, Lt. Steve Jauch said.

Anthony Guyton said he was able to make it into their home to protect his three children, ages 16, 10 an 8, but Tynisa was shot near the front door. She later died from her injuries.

"By the time I turned around my wife was laying behind the door," he said. "I guess she got hit trying to close the door get down."

Anthony Guyton was not injured in the shooting. The couple celebrated their 10-year anniversary in May, Guyton said.

"My wife is a beautiful person, I just lost my best friend," Anthony Guyton said. 

The fatal shooting occurred just hours before the family was to celebrate the eighth birthday of their youngest child.

"The kids they lost their mother, I have no explanation for them," Guyton said.

Authorities had not said whether they believe the shooting is gang- related Saturdy morning.

Information regarding the gunmen were not immediately known but their dark-colored sedan was last seen driving eastbound on 104th Street, Jauch said.

Authorities are currently looking for witnesses to come forward to help with their investigation.


 



Photo Credit: Reggie Kumar

Woman Opens Letter Filled With White Powder in Montville

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State police and emergency services responded to home at 18 Hunters Run in the Oakdale section of Montville after a resident opened an envelope filled with white powder Saturday afternoon, according to police.

State police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance said he was notified of the incident, which has been deemed a hazmat situation, around 2 p.m. The scene was clear by 4:30.

Authorities are collecting a sample of the powder and will take it to the state police crime lab. Toxicology testing will take about a week to complete, Vance said.

It's not clear if anyone else was inside the home at the time of the incident. Vance said the neighborhood was not evacuated.

Officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the FBI is handling the investigation.

According to FBI Special Agent Dan Cutin, "it is standard protocol to assemble, respond and determine logical investigative steps" any time a powder incident is reported in the state.

Driver Charged in Crash That Injured Tracy Morgan

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The truck driver who triggered a six-vehicle crash that killed a man when his tractor trailer struck a limo bus carrying actor Tracy Morgan is now facing charges.

Police have charged 35-year-old Kevin Roper of Jonesboro, Ga. with one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto after the early morning Saturday accident, according to the Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and New Jersey State Police Superintendant Col. Joseph Fuentes.

Roper was driving a Walmart tractor trailer northbound on the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 7A in Cranbury, N.J. -- about 15 miles north of Trenton -- around 1 a.m. Saturday when he failed to notice slow moving traffic and slammed into the limo bus, which had Morgan, stand-up comedians Ardie Fuqua Jr. and Harris Stanton, and several others on board, according to officials.

The limo bus began rotating clockwise, then overturned on its left side and crashed into several other vehicles, according to New Jersey State Police.

"The driver of the tractor trailer ...failed to observe the slow moving traffic ahead of him," said New Jersey State Police Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams. "The driver did observe the traffic, but it was too late. It was just prior to impact, he swerved to the left in an attempt to avoid the collision. But he was unable to."

Sixty-two-year-old James McNair, of Peekskill, New York, was killed in the crash, according to police.

Morgan, 45, and 36-year-old Jeffrey Millea, of Shelton, Conn., were airlifted to a hospital, where they remain in critical condition, according to officials.

Fuqua is also in cricital condition, while Stanton has been treated and released, according to reports.

Forty-four-year-old Tyrone Gail and another unidentified limo driver suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to limo operator Atlantic Transportation Services.

Authorities expect Roper to surrender. Bail was set at $50,000.

 



Photo Credit: Charlie Benjumea / AP

Shelton Man Critically Injured in Crash With Tracy Morgan

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A 36-year-old Shelton resident, whom WNBC reports is Tracy Morgan's assistant, has been airlifted to a New Jersey hospital for treatment of critical injuries sustained in the crash that also wounded the famous actor and comedian.

Jeffrey Millea, of Shelton, is in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., along with Tracy Morgan, a former "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" cast member.

Another passenger in the limo bus, 62-year-old James McNair, of New York, died at the scene after a tractor-trailer rammed into their vehicle early Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

Officials say the group was returning from a tour in Delaware, NBC Philadelphia reports.

Comedian Ardie Fuqua, Jr. is also in critical condition. Comic Harris Stanton was treated and released, the Associated Press reports. Two others in the limo were uninjured.

The truck driver who triggered the six-vehicle crash, 35-year-old Kevin Roper, of Georgia, has been charged with one count of death by auto and four coutns of assault by auto.

He was driving a Walmart tractor-trailer northbound on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury, N.J. when he struck the limo bus in slow-moving traffic, officials told NBC Philadelphia.



Photo Credit: Charlie Benjumea
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