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3-Year-Old Killed By Security Gate

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A 3-year-old girl is dead after an accident occurred at a Rita's Water Ice Saturday afternoon.

A security gate detached and came crashing down on the child shortly after 4 p.m. when she was standing outside a Rita's location at 2829 Girard Ave. in Philadelphia's Brewerytown neighborhood, according to reports.

An ambulance rushed the victim to Hahnemann University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:02 p.m., according to officials.

Police say the girl was with her mother attending a fundraising event for the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority when the tragedy occurred.

Neighbors tell NBC10 issues with the gate's ability to lock to the frame have been apparent for some time.

Officials with Philadelphia's Licenses and Inspections arrived on the scene shortly after the deadly accident and shut down the Rita's. An investigation is underway.

Maintenance, care and inspections of roll down security gates are the responsibility of the property owner, according to City of Philadelphia property codes.

Property records list P&G Development as the owner. Attempts to reach P&G were unsuccessful.

L&I officials say they inspect these gates if they receive a complaint of an apparent defect.

There are no open violations and there is no violation history related to the gate, according to L&I.

Rita's Italian Ice, the shop's parent company, released a statement about the crash.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the child's family," said Linda Duke, Rita's spokeswoman. "Due to the current investigation we really cannot comment about the unfortunate incident."


Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.


1 Killed In Texas Plane Crash

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A pilot died in the crash of a home-built plane at an Ellis County airport on Saturday afternoon.

Lynn Lunsford, Mid-State Public Affairs Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration said the crash happened around 4:40 p.m. at Mid-Way Regional Airport in Ellis County.

The aircraft involved in the crash is a single-engine home-built Skybolt biplane.

Law enforcement told the FAA that the pilot died in the crash.  Their name has not been released, but Department of Public Safety State Trooper James Colunga says the pilot/builder of the plane, who is also the crash victim, is from the Arlington area.

Lunsford also said witnesses claim the plane was performing aerobatic maneuvers over the runway when it crashed.

Tracy Gilby from the Waxahachie area said she and her son saw the plane in the sky and pulled over near the airport to watch it.

"We saw the airplane doing tricks so we kind of slowed down to watch him and then he just kind of spiraled down,” said Gilby.

She said when emergency vehicles began rushing by into the airport all they could do was pray.

FAA investigators are headed the crash site. The National Transportation Safety Board was also notified of the accident.

Family of the victim have been notified and were also at the scene Saturday night but declined to speak to the press.

The victim’s name has not yet been released.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Car Hits 71-Year-Old Pedestrian in Middletown

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Life Star airlifted a 71-year-old pedestrian Saturday after a car hit her while she was crossing Main Street in Middletown.

Susan Thorpe, 71, was walking northbound across the main road near the Dr. Martin Luther King Way intersection when a 2002 Ford Explorer headed east from William Street struck her while traversing Main Street to reach Dr. Martin Luther King Way, according to a news release from the Middletown Police Department. The driver, Leonard Palmer, 76, was not injured, but Life Star transported Thorpe to Hartford Hospital to be treated for serious injuries, police said.

A portion of Main Street in Middletown near Dr. Martin Luther King Way was closed early Saturday afternoon so that Life Star could land. Main Street has since reopened.

The Middletown Police Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the accident.

The department asks witnesses and anyone with information on the crash to contact Officer Michael Inflis at 860-638-4063.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

New Haven Gun Buyback Collects 52 Firearms

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The city of New Haven collected 52 firearms in its gun buyback Saturday in efforts to get guns off the streets and prevent them from being used in future crimes.

Some of the guns collected were an AK pistol, an AR 15 and a "Street Sweeper" shotgun, according to New Haven police.

"Any way we can get guns off the street, it's going to reduce the potential violence," Lt. Racheal Cain, the New Haven Police Department's head of Bureau of Identification.

The city awarded cash gift cards amounting to $75 per handgun, shotgun and rifle and $150 per assault weapon to people who turned in guns as a part of the program. People were permitted to turn the guns in anonymously with no questions asked and didn't have to show IDs.

None of the guns will be used in a future crime, police said.

Mayor Toni Harp's Office, the New Haven Department of Youth Services and police collaborated on the gun buyback. Yale-New Haven Hospital sponsored the program with an $8,000 grant.

The gun buyback went from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the New Haven Police Academy.

The city will hold another gun buyback on Saturday, July 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Radio Amor at 261 Portsea St.

 

 

 

 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

29 Shot, 1 Fatally, in Chicago

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At least 29 people have been shot in Chicago since Friday, including two women shot near Montrose Beach Sunday just hours after the Chicago Pride Parade.

The two women were shot in the 4500 block of North Simonds Drive around 6:45 p.m., police said.

Police initially said one woman was shot in the leg and back and another shot in the leg, but later said a 21-year-old woman was shot in the shoulder and a 48-year-old woman shot in the arm and back. Both were transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, police said.

The shooting took place a little over a mile away from where the Pride Parade stepped off earlier in the day.

"After the parade a lot of people just go by Montrose Beach," said witness Kim Shine. "Everyone barbecues out there, vendors sell candy and water bottles, it's just a big gathering around the hill or beach area."

Shine said she heard a sound she thought was fireworks but quickly realized was gunshots.

"We were standing near the top of the hill near Montrose Beach and we heard a few noises," she said. "We didn't know if it was gunshots or fireworks. We just saw a slew of people running toward us."

Eleven others were shot Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

  • Most recently, a 25-year-old man was shot in the back and buttocks in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood on the South Side. The man suffered gunshot wounds to the back after being shot around 5 a.m. Sunday in the 6400 block of South King Drive and was listed in critical condition. Police did not have any further details surrounding the shooting and said the victim was being uncooperative.
  • Just after 3 a.m., a 34-year-old man suffered a graze wound to the neck near 132nd Street and Langley Avenue. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Michael Sullivan.
  • About 30 minutes earlier, a 37-year-old man was shot in a parking lot near 19th Street and Pulaski Road. The man told police a small, dark-colored vehicle approached him and someone with a handgun exited the vehicle and opened fire. The man was shot in the arm and back and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition.
  • Just before 1 a.m., a 20-year-old man was shot in the 1800 block of South Throop. The man was standing on a corner when a dark-colored truck pulled up and someone inside the vehicle opened fire, police said.
  • On Saturday, a 24-year-old man was shot in the buttocks around 8:30 p.m. near 78th Street and Bennett Avenue. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition. Details surrounding the shooting were not immediately available.
  • Two hours earlier, a 27-year-old man was shot in the leg in the 5600 block of South Wolcott Avenue. The man was standing on the block when vehicle approached him and someone opened fire. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition, according to authorities.
  • Just before 5:30 p.m., two people were shot in a possible drive-by in the 6200 block of South Vernon Avenue, police said. A 20-year-old man was shot in the foot and a 32-year-old woman was shot in the upper arm. Both were taken to University of Chicago Hospital for treatment, Sullivan said.
  • Around noon, two people were shot in the 300 block of North Laramie Avenue.
  • A 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old man were passengers in a van traveling southbound on Laramie Avenue. When the van stopped at a stoplight, an offender approached them on foot and opened fire. The 21-year-old was shot in the leg and taken in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital and the 22-year-old was also shot in the leg and taken in good condition to West Suburban Medical Center.
  • Police said the weekend’s sole fatality, as of Sunday morning, occurred just before 9 a.m. Saturday when a 42-year-old man was fatally shot in the head while riding his bike. The shooting took place in the 3600 block of West Chicago Avenue. Police said the man was taken to Mount Sinai hospital with wounds to the head and right arm and was later pronounced dead.

At least 16 others have been shot in Chicago since Friday, including a teen who was shot just outside the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s headquarters and just two blocks away from President Barack Obama’s Chicago home.



Photo Credit: Kim Shine/NBCChicago

One Person Injured in Fire at Litchfield Rest Home

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One person was transported to an area hospital to be treated for minor injuries after an early morning fire at a rest home in Litchfield.

Fernwood Rest Home residents were evacuated after the 6:30 a.m. fire Sunday at the 400 Torrington Road facility.

The fire was contained to one room, according to Torrington fire officials.

Police have not released the identity of the injured party.

Litchfield, East Litchfield, Bantam and Torrington fire departments responded to the scene and extinguished the flames.

More information will be provided when it becomes available.

 

 

 

A fire broke out in one room of the 68-bed facility. The residents were evacuated as a precaution.

Fire departments from Litchfield, East Litchfield, Bantam and Torrington responded.

We will bring you more details as they become available.

 

Car Crashes into Manchester House

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The driver who crashed a car into a house in Manchester was transported to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.

No one was home when a Ford 500 with New Jersey license plates ran into the 253 Hillard Street house, but the man who lives there and his girlfriend were nearby when they got a call at 3:30 a.m. Sunday notifying them about the incident.

"Stuff is knocked off shelves and walls and things inside. It doesn't appear too bad," Susan Dorne, of Manchester, said. "There's a little – a couple of cracks in the wall, near the corner, so we're going to have to get that checked out, I guess."

The car caught fire after crashing into the home, leaving singe marks up the side of the house. Firefighters put the fire out quickly.

"A little bit of structural damage, but there was a building inspector here and he checked it out, and the cop kicked in the front door, obviously to check and see if anybody was inside," Dorne said. "There was nobody home, but they didn't know that when they got here. So, now the front door has got some issues and doesn't close right."

Dorne said that passersby pulled the driver out of the car, but police have not confirmed that information at this time.

Information on the driver's condition was not immediately available at the time of publication. Police have not released the identity of the driver at this time.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Two Young Children Left in Running Car

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State police arrested two adults after investigating reports of two infants left in a running car in East Lyme on Friday.

Elizabeth Cheri Elliot, 22, of Auburndale, Florida, and Andrew James Froberg, 30, of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, face charges of  risk of injury to a child, leaving a child unsupervised and first-degree reckless endangerment with no intimidation intended after State Police found two children in a running car in a Stop & Shop parking lot in East Lyme at 7:08 p.m. on June 27.

Lt. Paul Vance of the State police confirmed that Elliot and Froberg were dating and the children belonged to Elliot. It is unclear if Froberg was the father.

State Police initially responded to the scene to look into reports that two infants were left unattended in a running car, police said in an incident report. They found an 11-month-old and 3-year-old in car seats in the back of the running car and determined that they were there by themselves for more than 15 minutes. .

Froberg confirmed to State Police that he owned the vehicle and unlocked it. The children were upset and fire department officials examined them medically, according to police.

State Police took Froberg and Elliot into custody and held them on $20,000 cash or surety bonds.

The Department of Children and Families was also at the scene and helped find "safe placement of the two minor children," police said.

Froberg and Elliot are scheduled to appear in court in New London on June 30.

 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Two Drivers Injured in Head-On Crash

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Two drivers were hospitalized with injuries after their vehicles collided head-on early Sunday morning in Plainfield.

Police responded after receiving a 911 call at 1:52 a.m. about a two-vehicle head-on crash on Route 14A in town.

Wayne J. Dowdell, 51, of Plainfield, was traveling west in his Dodge Quadcab on Route 14A when Kacie Pasay, 22, coming from the opposite direction, pulled into his lane and struck the front of his vehicle.

Dowdell was taken to the emergency room at Backus Hospital to be treated for cuts and a hand injury. Passay was transported to the hospital to be treated for lacerations and abrasions.

Police continue to investigate the crash.

More information will be provided when it becomes available.

Police Locate 14-Month-Old Child

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Shelton police have located a 14-month old in Delaware after a Sunday morning report that the child was taken by a known party.

Police said the child is safe and in police custody

The report came in at 11 a.m. 

Investigators have not released information on the relationship of the person and the child, according to a news release.

Shelton police were in contact with the person who the report says took the child earlier in the day. The department worked with other agencies "to locate and check on the child," police said.

There was no evidence that the child was in danger, police said.

Police continue to investigate. More information will be provided when it becomes available.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

1 Dead, 4 Injured in LA Shooting

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One person was killed and at least four people were injured in a shooting during an after-hours event ahead of  the BET Awards Sunday in East Hollywood.

Police responded around 5:15 a.m. to reports of shots fired at the Monalizza Restaurant and Banquet located in the 1100 block of North Vermont Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

At least five people were shot at the club. One of those people was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Witnesses told NBC4 that the event was affiliated with the BET Awards taking place on Sunday, June 29 in downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles police officer Drake Madison said the party was related to the BET Awards, but it was not part of the official events, The Associated Press reported.

A voicemail left with BET was not immediately returned.

The extent of other injuries were unknown. Authorities were unsure what led to the shooting.

Fire at South Benson Marina Damages Multiple Boats

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Boats at South Benson Marina in Fairfield caught on fire Sunday afternoon.

There were two boats on fire when Fairfield firefighters responded at 12:30 p.m. Both boats were attached to the dock at the 206 Turney Road marina. After receiving additional calls about more boats on fire, the fire department found that five other boats were exposed.

A man was working on the boat where the blaze started and  jumped in the water to avoid the flames. He was rescued with the help of a witness and escaped with minor injuries, fire officials said. 

Ten people were trapped on the dock during the fire and firefighters were able to protect them from the fire and evacuate them safely. The dock spans about 400 to 500 feet.

Firefighters knocked out the blaze in 15 to 20 minutes.

The first two boats where the fire originated saw the most damage, two had moderate to severe damage and another experienced minor damage. The cause is still under investigation, but the fire marshal believes the fire is related to gasoline vapors ignited by a spark caused when the occupant plugged an extension cord in on the boat.

Fairefield dispatched four engines and Bridgeport firefighters came for mutual aid assistance. The fire department notified the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the environmental police. Fire and police vessels also responded. Fairfield police were at the scene to control access to the dock.

Boaters were not allowed back on dock until crews cleaned up the burned boats, which were leaking gas. According to fire officials, the marina was able to resume 95 percent of normal operation within two hours of the fire.



Photo Credit: Submitted

Drunk Woman Survives Fall Onto Subway Tracks: Cops

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Police say a woman was drunk Sunday morning when she fell onto subway tracks in Manhattan and survived a train pulling into the station.

The 22-year-old woman fell from the platform on West 49th Street at around 6 a.m. as an N train was entering the station, officials said.

The woman rolled into the bottom of the third car rail and tucked herself into a fetal position as the train was approaching, and the conductor pulled the brakes after he saw her move.

The woman suffered leg and hip trauma, police said, and was treated at Bellevue.

3 Dead, 18 Wounded in NYC Violence

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Twenty people were shot -- three fatally -- in a rash of violence Saturday and Sunday in New York City that spanned all five boroughs.

On Saturday a man was fatally shot in the head in Queens. On Sunday, three people were shot in Brooklyn, including a man who died after being hit in the back.

Also on Sunday, a man died after being shot in the stomach in the Bronx.

There were also non-fatal shootings in Manhattan and on Staten Island.

In one non-fatal shooting in Brooklyn, a 10-year-old boy was wounded. In another bout of gunfire in the Bronx Sunday night, a 12-year-old boy and 18-year-old woman were both shot in the leg. 

The volume of shootings so far in 2014, however, is lower than it was last year, police say.

Speaking Sunday, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said shootings are down compared to last year.

"We're always concerned about any shootings, but we have 1,200 additional cops this week," Bratton said.

Some residents said the violence has put them on edge.

Veronica Tutton, who lives in Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx, where two men were shot Sunday afternoon, said she is considering moving her family out of the neighborhood.

"I don't take my little ones outside much,” said Tutton. “And that's sad because I have a 6-year-old and he's always wanting to go to the park and play and as you can see, it happened right next to our park."

Vandals Target LGBT Monument

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Vandals struck in Oak Lawn overnight tagging at least three places with 666, the Biblical sign of the Devil.

“My heart just sank, just sank - couldn't believe it,” said Brenda Marks, president of The Oak Lawn Committee.  

Drivers passing the Legacy of Love monument at the corner of Oak Lawn Aveune and Cedar Springs Road couldn’t miss the three large sixes painted in bold red along the monument’s side. In the past, gay community leaders have gathered at the monument in the past to celebrate past court victories.

“This is our neighborhood plaza,” Marks said. “Things that happen that make our community joyful are celebrated here and things that are sad that we commemorate are commemorated here.”

“It's personal to us - we treasure this, it's our personal space,” Marks said.

Volunteers spent the day trying to remove the markings but without luck. 

“It felt good to try to scrub that away,” said Todd Whitley. “Our actions were important - we were scrubbing but what we were doing we were coming together to show that love is stronger." 

A church just down Cedar Springs road where Whitley attends was tagged as well. The Cathedral of Hope is the world’s largest lesbian and gay church. Senior Pastor Jim Mitulski is disappointed but says it’s a teaching moment.

“This is what our Christian faith teaches us - it's not hypothetical that when people hate us we respond not with violence as this is, this is passive violence but it's violence never the less, we respond with love, with compassion,” said Mitulski.

“I'm disappointed to see that there are people in the world who use hate to express themselves,” said Whitley. “There are so many other ways to try to work through things even if we don't like each other, don't understand each other, we don't have to do stuff like this.” 

“Get a life, grow up or as Rodney King would say, “Can’t we just all get along?”.

The discoveries came on the same Sunday when many gay pride activities are happening nationwide. New York City, Chicago and San Francisco held pride-fests on Sunday.

Dallas' largest pride-fest celebration, the Alan Ross' Texas Freedom Parade will take place September 21.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Police Identify Model of Car That Killed Pedestrian

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Police are searching for the driver and vehicle involved in a hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard in New Haven near Orange Avenue on Tuesday.

Frank Aceto, 49, of Wallingford, was crossing the road with a friend when a small red Honda struck him and fled the scene, police said based on the preliminary investigation.

The two pedestrians were not in a crosswalk at the time.

Police identified the suspected vehicle as a 1996 to 2000 Honda Civic DX model and said that the vehicle likely has damage on the front end. The car may also be missing a side view mirror, police said.

Aceto's friend who was walking with him that night, Thomas Manning, stopped for traffic, but couldn't get to Aceto in time, according to police. 

"He was hit so hard and so fast," Manning told NBC Connecticut on Wednesday. "We saw a car off in the distance, just the headlights, and we thought, 'Oh, it's safe to cross.'"

Police haven't determined whether speed was a factor, but Manning said the car seemed to come out of nowhere.

"I heard an engine rev and before I knew it, the friend four feet in front of me disappeared, disappeared like a magic trick," Manning said. "[The driver] just went straight through, didn't stop, didn't pause, didn't tap his brake lights or anything until he got to the red light down there."

Police are still searching for the driver and car, which was last seen headed south on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard. The vehicle likely was damaged on the front end, police said.

It's not clear whether a man or woman was driving the car in question, and so far, police haven't had much luck in tracking that person down.

"These investigations do take quite a bit of time, and without the car, they become much more difficult," said New Haven police spokesman Officer David Hartman.

Police said that Aceto might be homeless and were not able to reach a family member as of Wednesday morning. His last known address was in Wallingford.

The road was closed in the area from around 10 p.m. on Tuesday until 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

People Stuck on SeaWorld Ride

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An iconic ride at SeaWorld San Diego broke down Sunday, leaving people stuck hundreds of feet in the air for hours.

The 48 people on the Skytower were lowered to safety just before 7:30 p.m., nearly four hours after the ordeal started. A teenage boy was taken to the hospital for anxiety, according to San Diego Fire Department spokesman Lee Swanson.

The ride became suspended about 220 feet in the air after losing power, Swanson said. SeaWorld technicians ended up fixing the problem, but the fire department was put on stand-by.

Swanson said firefighters train to rescue people from the Skytower at least once a year, but have never had to do it.

SeaWorld spokesman David Kontz released the following statement Sunday night:

SeaWorld's San Diego's Skytower ride experienced a power failure this afternoon. With guest safety as our top priority, park engineers spent four hours trouble-shooting the problem before restoring power to the Skytower and safely returning the 46 guests to the ride loading area. The guests were never in danger and park officials were in constant communication with them while the power failure was being addressed. Two SeaWorld employees were also in the Skytower providing guests with water and snacks. The San Diego Fire Department was on scene, however, there was no requirement for an emergency evacuation. We greatly appreciate the patience of our guests, and they received return admission and other park amenities. The cause of the power failure is under investigation.

The Skytower raises riders hundreds of feet in the air and slowly spins to show panoramic views of San Diego.



Photo Credit: Sherene Tagharobi/NBC 7

I-84 Reopens after Southington Bridge Construction

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 Construction on I-84 that closed the highway in Southington is complete ahead of schedule, according to state police and Gov. Malloy’s office.

Police confirmed that all lanes of I-84 East opened at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, over twelve hours ahead of schedule. The westbound side opened just before 8:30 p.m., also well ahead of schedule. The road was set to reopen at 5 a.m. on Monday.

The highway was completely closed in both directions at Exit 30 over the weekend to replace two bridges over Marion Avenue in Southington. The bridges originally built in 1963.

In a statement, Malloy praised the work of the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their creative approach to the project.

“ A lot was riding on this project getting done without any problems and with very little inconvenience to the nearly 85,000-plus people that travel on this portion of I-84 every day. This is another great example of ConnDOT thinking outside the box to deliver a major bridge project with as few interruptions as possible for the public."



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Man Took Video Up Women's Skirts at Mall: Cops

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West Hartford police have arrested a man accused of taking video up multiple women’s skirts.

Police say they responded to the Westfarms Mall at 5:20 p.m. on Saturday. An observant female caller had noticed a man taking video up women’s skirts in Forever 21. She confronted the suspect and when he fled she gave chase through the mall, out the door and across a busy New Britain Avenue.

When police arrived they found 46-year-old Husein Ahmetovic of Waterbury in the Sears parking lot with a Sony digital camera, memory card, and spare battery on him. Police say Ahmetovic pretended to be shopping next to females wearing skirts, then placed the camera at an angle that allowed him to record up the skirt.

The memory card contained 30 videos of 30 different women, according to police. None of the victims have been identified. 

 Ahmentovic was arrested and charged with 30 counts of voyeurism and one count of second-degree breach of peace.
 



Photo Credit: West Hartford Police Department

Hyatt Hotel Cook Threatens to Kill Colleagues: Police

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A cook at the Hyatt hotel in Greenwich is facing charges after reportedly threatening to punch and fatally shoot fellow employees, according to police.

Jorge Mateus, 57, of Mamaroneck, New York, was arrested June 28 at the Hyatt on East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich after he “stated to multiple employees that he wanted to physically hurt them by punching them and that he would kill them using a gun,” police said.

Mateus was charged with disorderly conduct and threatening. He was released after posting cash bond and is due in court July 7.

The Hyatt had no comment on the arrest or Mateus’ employment status.



Photo Credit: Hyatt.com
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