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Rooftop Jump Goes Viral

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There's a point while watching the video of Ethan Swanson's unbelievable rooftop leap when the camera pans down to the ground and two words suddenly come to mind: "Don't jump!" 

But jump he did -- without a parachute and little protection -- from the roof of a Chicago apartment building onto the peak roof of a vacant building far below. The 24-year-old slides down the shingles of the neighboring roof, partially lands on an outdoor spiral staircase and keeps sliding until he lands, slightly less than unscathed, onto a sidewalk.

It's all captured using a couple of GoPro cameras, and in the two days since being posted to YouTube, the James Bond-esque jump has gone viral, garnering more than 1.7 million views.

"I got banged up," admits Swanson, a native of Chicago's suburbs. "No broken bones, nothing serious."

The roof's shingles did tear through the areas between the four shin guards he taped to himself before the jump and pulled away some skin. Oh, and he bruised his right heel a little, but it goes with the territory for Swanson.

"I've been doing this my whole life, since even before I can remember," he said. "My mom says I was climbing before I could walk."

Swanson is a part-time professional stuntman and former gymnast who feels most comfortable being up high and spends his free time cliff diving, rock climbing and scouting out his next urban stunt. By day he works for an investment company as an actuary, which comes in handy for Swanson's hobby.

He never goes into a jump blindly and takes weeks, even months to prepare for a leap before he completes it.

For the rooftop jump, Swanson took measurements of everything at the site and practiced for a month to get it all perfect, from the timing and speed of his run to the jump and landing. He even postponed the jump once because of rain.

"That's one thing I wish I could tell people more about because I don't want someone to see [the video] and go out and do it and not prepare," he said, noting, "I've dedicated a lot of my time to have the training and the skills to do these things."

Swanson was contacted by GoPro in the spring about partnering with the company for the jump. He already had this one planned, so he went for it. The jump is all his, the video editing is all GoPro, he says.

He never expected it to go viral, but this surely isn't the last you've heard of him.

"Whenever I'm out or walking around," he said, "I'm always looking up."

Check out Ethan's other YouTube videos here.



Photo Credit: Ethan Swanson/GoPro

Plane Crash Hero Recounts Rescue

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A Good Samaritan who rushed to the aid of two people after a small airplane crashed in a shopping center parking lot in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, said he reacted quickly because he wasn’t about to watch two people die before his eyes.

“We ran over and stopped and saw [the plane] was on fire. Then we saw the people inside and we thought, ‘We’re not going to watch two people burn alive.’ That’s when [we] ran over to do what we could,” witness Robert Sears, 24, told NBC 7 on Friday.

Sears – an employee at the Costco Business Center on Convoy Street, a building located right next to the site of the plane crash – had arrived at work on Wednesday at around 5:30 p.m. and was talking with a friend when they suddenly heard the crash.

When he ran into the parking lot of the shopping center, Sears saw the wreckage of the fixed wing, single-engine Mooney M20L, which had landed near parked cars but away from the main entrances to stores.

The aircraft had missed bystanders on the ground, but a pilot and her passenger remained inside.

Sears said someone handed his friend a fire extinguisher and as his friend sprayed the plane, they both tried repeatedly to open the aircraft’s only door, located on the passenger side of the plane.

When it finally opened, the men were able to get the passenger’s seat belt unfastened and get her out of the plane.

But they still had to get the pilot out, which proved difficult given the position of the door.

“There was still fire and everything. My buddy, Roy, he kept spraying. There were people on the other side of the airplane who were able to reach their arms inside the window and get the [pilot’s] seat belt undone. I was able to get halfway into the cockpit and then get her out,” Sears recounted.

“There were people behind me, so when I pulled her out they were able to take her and carry her to the sidewalk,” he continued.

With bandages on his hands covering his second-degree burns, Sears said he could not have helped save the women from the wreckage alone.

The pilot of the airplane, identified by family members as Devon Logan, 52, survived the crash. Her passenger, 78-year-old Joy Gorian, suffered serious burns and later died at the hospital.

On Friday, NBC 7 spoke at length with the pilot’s husband, who said Devon had undergone more surgery and was still recovering at the hospital. He said his wife’s injuries included a broken ankle, knee and tibia, as well as cuts and bruises.

The husband told NBC 7 that Devon is aware that she didn’t hurt any bystanders with her crash landing, but feels guilt about Gorian’s death. Gorian was Devon’s mother, her husband said.

The husband, who was too grief-stricken to go on camera, said the people who helped his family, including Sears, are the ones who should be getting the attention. He’s extremely thankful to all of the Good Samaritans who stepped in to help and hopes to connect with the heroes in person.

Sears said he would love to meet the Logans someday and wishes nothing but the best for Devon as she recovers.

“I just hope she gets better. I hope she’s okay and her family [is okay] because of everything,” he added. “I’d love to see her.”

The plane crash remains under investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) taking the lead.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Rare Whale Fossil Excavated From SoCal Backyard

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A rare whale fossil is getting a new home an estimated 16 to 17 million years since it landed in what would become a Rancho Palos Verdes, Southern California, backyard.

There are just 20 or so baleen whale fossils in the world, said paleontologist Howell Thomas of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles said Friday as crews worked to excavate the fossil, which was lodged in a 1,000-pound rock.

“This is a really important fossil,” Thomas said.

Baleen whales are characterized by their baleen, a system of plates used to strain their food through water instead of teeth.

The fossil was discovered in the summer of 1978 by a teenage Gary Johnson, when he was exploring the backyard of his family’s house.

Johnson, now 53, said he reached out to another local museum at the time, but they could not figure out how to move the massive fossil. When another whale fossil was discovered on the property of a nearby school and excavated by the Natural History Museum, he reached out to the organization to see if they might be interested in his fossil.

Thomas told him they were interested.

More than three decades after its initial discovery, the fossil was hoisted from the backyard ravine by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department search-and-rescue volunteers, who were using the excavation as a training exercise.

The volunteers were able to remove the fossil and it’s now headed to the museum, where it’s bound for a research collection. There are no plans to display the find.

For Johnson, the excavation is something of a relief.

“It’s kind of my baby,” he said. “And now it’s going to a good home.”

Teen Killed, 17 Others Wounded in Overnight Shootings

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A 16-year-old boy was killed in Chicago in a shooting that wounded two other teens on the Southwest Side late Friday night.

The three were among 18 people shot across the city overnight.

Police responded to a call of a person shot in the 2700 block of West 24th Street around 11:30 p.m. Friday, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada.

A 16-year-old boy was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Two others teens also suffered wounds in the shooting. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the buttocks and an 18-year-old man was shot in the arm. Both were taken in stable condition to Mount Sinai Hospital.

The three teens were walking on the block when two offenders walked up and fired shots, according to authorities. Police said the shooting is being investigated as gang-related.

The first weekend shooting took place just after 6 p.m. Friday when a 16-year-old girl was grazed by a bullet after a gunman opened fire into a group of people walking in the 600 block of East 37th Place.

Police said the shooting may have been a drive-by and after witnesses reported a light-colored vehicle drove past the group and someone inside the vehicle opened fire. The teen was taken to Stroger Hospital with a graze wound to the abdomen. She was listed in good condition.

At least 13 others were shot overnight in the city.

  • A 20-year-old man was shot in the right leg in the 11400 block of South Yale just after 7 a.m. Saturday, police said. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition.
  • Three people were shot inside a lounge on Chicago’s South Side just before 2 a.m. Saturday in the 700 block of East 83rd Street. The group was inside the lounge when they heard an argument and gunfire and realized they had been shot. A 39-year-old man and a 32-year-old man were both shot in the back and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition. A 61-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and listed in stable condition at Stroger Hospital, police said. It was not clear if the three were the intended targets, Estrada said.
  • Around the same time, a 19-year-old man was shot in the 7900 block of South Merrill Avenue. The teen was standing outside with friends when he heard several shots and felt pain, police said. He suffered wounds to the left thigh and was taken in critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
  • Around 12:15 a.m., a 33-year-old man was shot in the 8500 block of South Exchange Avenue. The man was standing with a group when a white vehicle pulled up and a gunman exited the vehicle and opened fire. A 33-year-old man was shot in the right leg and taken in stable condition to Trinity Hospital.
  • Two people were shot just before midnight in the 5500 block of South Seeley Avenue. Two 28-year-old men were shot when a car drove by them and someone inside the vehicle fired shots, police said. One man was shot in the forearm, abdomen and right thigh and was taken in stable condition to Stroger Hospital. The other man was shot in the heel and drove himself to South Shore Hospital where he was listed in stable condition, police said.
  • Around 11:30 p.m., a 29-year-old man was shot by a bicyclist in the 5800 block of West Erie. Police said the man was standing on the sidewalk when an armed offender on a bicycle rode by and fired shots. The victim walked into West Suburban Medical Center with a wound to the right thigh and was listed in stable condition.
  • Just after 11 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot multiple times in the 3000 block of West Flournoy Street. The man was standing with a group of people when he “heard shots and felt pain,” police said. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the leg and was listed in critical condition at Mount Sinai Hospital.
  • Around 10:30 p.m., a 19-year-old man was shot when a gunman opened fire from a passing light-colored vehicle in the 1400 block of West Elmdale Avenue. The teen was shot in the back but fled the scene and notified police. He was taken in critical condition to Saint Francis Hospital.
  • Two people were shot around 8:40 p.m. in the 13200 block of South Riverdale Avenue. A 29-year-old man was shot in the lower left arm and right bicep and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition. A 26-year-old man was shot in the right leg and taken to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition. The two told police they were standing outside when they “heard shots and felt pain.”
  • Around 8:11 p.m., a 24-year-old man was shot in the 13000 block of South Champlain Avenue. The man suffered wounds to the left buttocks and left knee and a graze wound to the right forearm. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition.

Slain 3-Year-Old Girl ID'd

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A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the death of a 3-year-old girl who was shot after a man opened fire along a Philadelphia street following an argument. Three others were also hit by gunfire.

Gunshots rang out around 9:40 p.m. on Friday along the 1500 block of S. Etting Street near 27th Street in the Grays Ferry section of the city, police said.

Philadelphia Police Capt. Michael Gormley said two men began arguing along the block when one pulled out a gun and started firing.

A stray bullet hit 3-year-old Tynirah Borum in the left side of her chest, Gormley said. Witnesses tell NBC10.com that Borum was getting her hair done when she was struck. Family and friends say the girl did not live at the home and that her mother was around the corner at the time of the shooting. 

Officers arriving on the scene put her in a patrol car and rushed her to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, officials said. But despite trauma doctor's efforts, she was pronounced dead at 10:21 p.m.

"There's nothing much you can say about this tragedy," said Mike Collins, Tynirah's cousin. "That was my little cousin. It hurts.

Three other people were also hit by the gunfire, police said. The other man involved in the argument was shot in the head. He was rushed by officers to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, police said. He remains there in critical condition.

A 21-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman who police say were bystanders, were also struck. The man was struck in the leg. He was taken to HUP where he is currently in stable condition. The woman was struck in the arm. She was also taken to HUP where she was treated and released.

Witnesses say the shooter fled the scene on his bicycle. Police have a person of interest in custody however no charges have been filed at this time. They are currently searching for others who may have been involved. 

Police are also offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

As police continue to investigate, a memorial for the young girl continues to grow.

"That was my best friend's daughter," said Renee Bradford, a friend of Tynirah's mother. "She was everything to us. She ran around like a normal three-year-old girl. She didn't deserve this. She was simply trying to get her hair done. For her to get shot in the chest? She's a baby. No baby deserves to die like that."



Photo Credit: Instagram.com/prettyonpurpose85

2 Stabbed After Lending Phone

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Two victims were stabbed in San Diego's North Park neighborhood early Saturday morning after lending a cell phone to a stranger on the street, authorities confirmed.

The San Diego Police Department said things turned violent in the 3900 block of Ohio Street at around 2:10 a.m. after a 32-year-old man loaned his phone to an unknown man who then refused to give it back.

The pair began fighting and police said the suspect stabbed the victim in the arm.

A second victim – a 30-year-old man – tried to intervene and was also stabbed in the back by the suspect.

The suspect then fled the scene.

Police said both victims sustained non-life threatening injuries. They were able to get back the cell phone.

The suspect is described by police as an African-American man dressed in a blue suit and tie. He was clean-shaven, approximately 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. Anyone with information on this case should contact the SDPD.
 

Dispatch, Allen Stone and Family Fun at Gathering of the Vibes' Last Day

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If you grew up in the era of Woodstock or simply love music camping, and the Grateful Dead, Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport may be your jam.

The 19th annual weekend-long music festival kicked off at Seaside Park Thursday, July 31 and runs through Sunday. It's the 10th year Gathering of the Vibes has been at that location, according to the event website.

Former Grateful Dead members Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart will perform with The Disco Biscuits as a headlining act.

On Friday, the lineup includes Slightly Stoopid, John Fogerty, Deep Banana Blackout and EOTO.

Saturday’s lineup includes Vibes veterans Assembly of Wine in the morning; Mystic-based Barefoot Truth in the afternoon and Dumpstaphunk.

You’ll be singing along with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros when they perform “Home,” “40 Day Dream” or “Janglin” on Saturday.

Dispatch and Allen Stone are the headlining closing acts at the festival on Sunday evening, with Dispatch on the Main Stage at 6 p.m. and Allen Stone on the Green Vibes stage at 4:45 p.m.

Sunday also features kid-friendly events on Connecticut Family Day. A School of Rock 2014 AllStars performance featuring American teen musicians is scheduled and kids will have the opportunity to jam with major artists performing on the Main and Green Vibes stages, according to a news release. At 11 a.m., kids can learn about sound mixing with L-ACOUSTICS or listen to Andy "The Music Man, followed by a parade (parents welcome) and World Peace Flag Ceremony at 11:45 a.m.

At noon Sunday, Chris Hubbard, the production manager for the Gathering of the Vibes, will teach teens what it takes to produce a concert. Families can also bring their kids to the Grateful Games Kids Olympics, ride on an 85-foot high Ferris wheel, do family yoga, drum or sing in workshops, have a caricature painted of them, and enjoy face painting and dancing with "life-sized puppets," the news release stated.

Other performers at this year's event include Widespread Panic, John Fogerty, Dispatch, Lotus: Talking Heads Deconstructed, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Umphrey's McGee, moe., Slightly Stoopid, Ziggy Marley, Maceo Parker, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Dumpstaphunk, Allen Stone, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Dark Star Orchestra, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, Leftover Salmon featuring Bill Payne of Little Feat, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Keller Williams' Grateful Grass featuring Jeff Austin and Reed Mathis, Rusted Root, Ryan Montbleau and friends, Stanley Jordan, Strangefolk, Langhorne Slim & The Law, Deep Banana Blackout Dopapod, White Denim, Kung Fu, Assembly of Wine, Bronze Radio Return, Crash, American Babies, Twiddle, Donna The Buffalo, EOTO, Orgone, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Barefoot Truth, Love Canon, The Main Squeeze, Digital Tape Machine, David Gans, the McLovins, The Primate Fiasco, Band Together CT, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Comic Dust Bunnies, Banooba, Andy The Music Man, The Brummy Brothers and Our Beloved MC Wavy Gravy.

Inspired by the Grateful Dead music culture, the Gathering of the Vibes originates from a tribute music festival to honor Jerry Garcia after he died in 1995, according to the festival website. Bob Kennedy, a fan and local business owner and promoter, organized "Deadhead Heaven - A Gathering of the Tribe" in Garcia's memory at the SUNY Purchase Campus, relocating it to Croton Poin Park in New York two years later and calling it Gathering of the Vibes, the website states.

The Vibes moved to Seaside Park in Bridgeport in 1999, with Bob Weir performing in 2000 as "the first Grateful Dead alumni," according to the website. While Seaside Park went through renovations in 2001, the music festival took place in Red Hook and then Mariaville, both in New York, before returning to Seaside Park in 2007, the website states.

Past Vibes festivals have drawn in globally renowned performers like the Grateful Dead, Gov't Mule, Elvis Costello, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, Jane's Addiction, The Black Crowes, John Butler Trio, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cliff, Primus, George Clinton and P-Funk, Bruce Hornsby, Branford Marsalis, and Damian Marley and Nas, according to the Gathering of the Vibes website.

Single day tickets cost $75, with VIP tickets priced at $50 for kids under 12 and $225 for anyone older.

More information on tickets and scheduled artists is available on the Gathering of the Vibes website.



Photo Credit: Gathering of the Vibes

Triathlon With Disabled Brother

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When 8-year-old Noah Aldrich decided he wanted to compete in a kids triathlon he instantly asked if he could do it with his 6-year-old brother.

There was only problem—6-year-old Lucas Aldrich was born with a rare brain condition that has left him unable to walk.

That didn’t stop Noah from bringing his brother, and best friend, along on the journey.

“He said ‘Mom, I want to do this with my brother,’” Noah’s mother Alissa Aldrich told NBC's KTVB in Boise, Idaho. “That’s where the idea was born and I think the next day we started training.”

Noah’s parents said the two brothers from Boise, Idaho have shared a special bond since the day Lucas was born.

“They definitely have a special bond, the two of them,” said Alissa Aldrich. “You see Lucas light up so much when Noah enters the room.”

Lucas was born with a rare condition called Lissencephaly. Family members were told he’d be non-verbal, wheelchair bound, unable to eat and that he would have a shortened lifespan.

The family says Lucas is doing better than they ever expected and Noah can’t say enough about his love for his younger brother.

“I like everything about him,” he said. “He’s perfect.”

When the Aldrich family heard about the YMCA Kids Club program, and a kids triathlon, the family quickly became involved, supporting Noah and his brotherly love.

Running, biking and swimming together, the two young brothers prepared for their impressive feat.

“He’s just going to be happy that he did the race,” Noah said.

When the big day came, Team Lucas House was ready to roll.

“They will start with a 200-meter swim,” said Alissa Aldrich.

And swim Noah did, as hard as he could, with his brother in tow in a raft behind him.

Noah then biked with his brother for three miles and ran for another mile pushing Lucas in front of him.

“We’re very proud,” said Alissa Aldrich at the finish line. “It was really exciting to watch them and a little nerve-wrecking as parents, but they did so good and we’re proud of them.”

The family hopes to continue to create a legacy for Lucas, starting with a non-profit they developed called Lucas House.



Photo Credit: KTVB

State Police Arrest Bank Robbery Suspect

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Connecticut state police have arrested a man charged with robbing a bank in Essex.

According to Lt. J. Paul Vance, troopers responded to the Bank of America at 125 Westbrook Road around 10a.m. Saturday for a report of an active bank robbery. A witness told troopers upon arrival that a suspect vehicle fled the area headed north on Route 153.

Police say Essex Resident State Trooper TFC David Tretter, who was off duty, and TFC James Matlock were in the area of Route 153 and located and stopped the suspect vehicle, a Subaru station wagon.

The suspect, 33-year-old Joshua Green of Niantic, was taken into custody. Currency stolen from the bank was found in the vehicle, according to police.

Green is charged with third-degree robbery, first-degree larceny, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. He was help on a $200,000 bond and is expected to appear in Middletown Superior Court Monday.

 

Chase, Crash Block Virginia Freeway

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 A high speed chase along Interstate 66 ended after the suspect lost control of the car and crashed into other vehicles Saturday afternoon.

Virginia State Police said a trooper stopped a Dodge Charger on eastbound I-66 for a traffic stop for driving on the shoulder of the road. During the stop near Exit 57, the trooper found out the driver, Ericka Oliver, 25, was wanted by a local police department and taken into custody.

While the arrest was taking place, a man in the passenger seat slid over and sped away from the scene. Virginia State Police said the Charger headed east on I-66, got off at Route 123, flipped around on Route 123, and got back on I-66 eastbound.

When the Charger caught up to traffic near Sycamore Street in Arlington County, the driver lost control and crashed into an SUV and rear-ended another car. The suspect driver, Anthony McCrae, 33, of Washington, D.C., was taken to the Virginia Hospital Center for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Five other people were injured in the crash. Four were treated at the scene and one suffered serious injuries and transported to Virginia Hospital Center.

The road was shut down for more than an hour as police and rescue personnel worked at the scene. By 5:55 p.m., all eastbound I-66 lanes were cleared and open to traffic.


 

Drought May Run Breweries Dry

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Hops, barley, and malt are all important ingredients for beer.

But water is essential.

As California enters yet another month of an unprecedented dry spell, some brewers are expressing concerns about how the ongoing drought could affect the price and taste of their product.

"The future is the thing we have to worry about now,” Dan Gordon, co-founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in San Jose, said.

Gordon said the brewery uses 2.5 gallons of water to make one gallon of beer. Most craft breweries use four to seven gallons of water for the same amount. If water companies impose mandatory restrictions, production could drop in the booming industry.

"If we were put in a position where we had to go to 20 percent restriction on the water usage, I have no idea how we would be able to cope with that,” Gordon said.

Even without mandatory restrictions in place, Gordon is feeling the effects of the drought. Changes in water can tweak the taste of beer, though the brewery can add or filter out some of the minerals to minimize the effect.

"What we notice is when the water supply gets a lot lower, the hardness of the water increases and that's absolutely been an indicator that we're running low,” Gordon said.

The concern is statewide. The California Craft Brewer’s Association Executive Director Tom McCormick fears if the drought continues for another two to three years, prices would jump.

"The industry has been good about water conservation in the past, but I think we need to get better. This year, we're learning to do that,” McCormick said.

California has more than 460 craft breweries. All are hoping those essential ingredients will be abundant for years to come.

"We have to prioritize. Swimming pools may have to go empty, lawns may have to go empty, but we got to keep brewing beer," Gordon said with a laugh. "We're going to have a lot of angry people out there.”



Photo Credit: Ian Cull

Local Expert Speaks on Ebola Outbreak

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The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has left more than 700 dead to date and more than 1300 infected. With two Americans infected and one already being treated as the first case of Ebola on US soil, there are a lot of questions about if and how the disease can spread.

NBC Connecticut spoke to an expert of infectious diseases at one local hospital, who said Americans should not be too alarmed.

Dr. Ulysses Wu, Chief of Infectious Diseases at St. Francis Hospital, emphasized that hospitals across the country are taking precautions, and the facility handling the cases is well prepared.

“There is no need for the public to worry about an Ebola crisis happening in the US at this time,” he said. “There has been increased vigilance for travelers coming from this area who may be ill.”

Health officials say Ebola is a virus transmitted through bodily fluids. According to the CDC, it is severe and often fatal. Symptoms include fever, headache and vomiting. Some may see red eyes, chest pain, and bleeding inside and outside the body.

The disease can be difficult to diagnosed because the early symptoms are general and can be misdiagnosed. Experts say the best measure you can take is to stay away.

“The basic precaution is to avoid any of these areas at this moment in terms of travel,” Wu said.

For St. Francis, it’s business as usual, but the hospital is notifying its staff to be extra vigilant when assessing patient symptoms.

According to the CDC, Ebola is treated with supportive therapy. There is no cure for Ebola – just experimental treatments.

3 Dead in Dallas, Killer on the Run

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Dallas Police are investigating a triple homicide in East Oak Cliff.

This happened around 6:40 a.m. Saturday at a house located on the 5100 block of Wynell Street. The neighborhood is just south of the Dallas VA Medical Center.

Late Saturday, Dallas police identified the victims:  21-year-old Tyteanna Lyahanee Brown, 36-year-old Kimberly Montgomery and 37-year-old Demarcus Walton.

Neighbors woke up to the sound of multiple gunshots Saturday morning. When officers arrived, they found three people dead inside a white house.

"There is evidence at the location that the house is a probably point of sale for narcotics," said Major Jeff Cotner with the Dallas Police Department. Cotner said a fourth shooting victim sought help from a neighbor and was taken to Baylor Medical Center. That victim's condition was unknown at last check.

Later in the morning, three cars were towed away from the property where the shootings occurred.

"We have a black male that’s a suspect, I’m not going to release some of the information that we have developed because it’s important to our case, so we believe the individual should be known to the victims," said Cotner.

Grief filled the street as those who knew the victims came out after hearing the news.

Cotner said the suspect was encountered by two witnesses as he was fleeing. He said no weapons were recovered at the scene, but there is no need for neighbors to be concerned about their safety.

"At this point right now we believe this incident to be isolated to the incident at this house and no one else is in imminent danger," he said.



Photo Credit: Lyle Davis, NBC 5 News

Fire Damages Milford Home

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Six people are displaced after an early evening fire at a Milford home.

Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 5:37 p.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival they found the second floor of 208 Cedarhurst Lane heavily involved with fire.

Crews were able to rescue two dogs and a rabbit from the home, according to the fire department. One lizard could not be saved. One firefighter was evaluated for heat related issues, but no other injuries were reported. None of the residents were home at the time.

Fire officials say the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Charges in 3-Year-Old's Death

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Bail was denied for a Philadelphia man after he was arrested and charged Saturday for his alleged role in the death of a 3-year-old girl, who was killed after a gunman opened fire on a neighborhood street.

Twenty-two-year-old Douglas Woods, of the 1400 block of South Ringgold Street, was arraigned Sunday morning around 4 a.m. on multiple charges, including murder, three counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Authorities said Woods and another suspect who is still on the loose are responsible for the shooting Friday that killed 3-year-old Tynirah Borum and wounded three others.

"My baby was an innocent bystander at the wrong place at the wrong time," said Tynirah's mother, Tamika Borum while tears streamed down her face. "Now her life is taken because of someone else's stupidity."

Woods and his accomplice were on the 1500 block of South Etting Street in the Grays Ferry section of the city around 9:40 p.m. Friday when they began arguing with another man, according to police.

The argument led one of the suspects to pull out a gun and start firing, officials said.

Tamika had dropped Tynirah off at a friend's house on the block to get her hair done. The girl was outside when a stay bullet struck her in the left side of her chest, according to investigators. Police officers rushed the child to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, but doctors were unable to save her. Tynirah was pronounced dead at 10:21 p.m. Friday.

A 24-year-old man, who was the shooter's intended target, is in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to police. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

Two other bystanders were also hit by the hail of gunfire. A 21-year-old man was hit in the right leg and a 28-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to her left arm, according to authorities.

Both were transported by police to HUP. The female victim was treated and released, while the man remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to police.

Despite filing charges against Woods, police are still searching for a second suspect.

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

And the young victim's mother implores the remaining suspect to surrender to police.

"Please, please turn yourself in," Tamika said.


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



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police/Instagram.com

Family Wrestled Man Who Killed Wife

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Family members are reeling from what they call a senseless tragedy after a loving mother and grandmother was gunned down by her common-law husband in front of seven of the family’s children inside their Panorama City apartment.

The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. Friday at an apartment in the 8700 block of Tobias Street, the Los Angeles Police Department said. 

Narcisa Adela Ramirez was shot by her husband, who had been drinking, after an argument, police said. He turned the gun on himself after being pushed out of the apartment.

“He didn’t say one word. It happened so fast,” said James Rini, whose girlfriend is Ramirez’s 19-year-old daughter. Police said Rini was able to push the man - who has not been identified - out of the apartment, possibly preventing anyone else from being harmed.

Rini and his girlfriend, who is 7-months pregnant, were inside the home along with six children who are members of the extended family.

“He had it wrapped up in a sweater,” Rini said of the sawed-off shotgun used in the shooting. He said he and his girlfriend never saw the gun, but they heard the gunshot that killed Ramirez.

“He was going to turn around and shoot himself but we tackled him to try and get the gun,” he said. “I pushed him out of the door and down the stairs and he got up and grabbed the gun.”

The man ended his own life at the bottom of the stairs.

Rini said Ramirez was known for her kind nature.

“She always gave you second chances if you burned bridges with her,” he said. “She was a good person.”

Ramirez, who was the apartment manager of the building in the 8700 block of Tobias Street, had complained about relationship troubles for years, neighbors said.

“She’s afraid to report it to police,” said Tony Chao. “I’ve been warning her about it, now it’s too late.”

Chao said Ramirez worked at his donut shop in addition to managing the complex and helped the elderly.

“Her smile, her kindness,” is what he said he’d remember about Ramirez. “She’s always smiling. A hard working lady.”

Ramirez’s family members said four of the seven kids - the other three who lived in the home are Ramirez’s daughter’s children - have been turned over to child protective services.

Ramirez’s daughter said she plans to fight for custody of those kids.

Chao is trying to raise money to help the family with funeral expenses. Donations can be made at Good Day Donuts at 8245 Sepulveda Blvd. in Panorama City. 

Police Take in 150-Pound Tortoise

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It may have outsmarted a hare, but a tortoise found in Alhambra couldn't outrun the police on Saturday. 

It took two officers to take a 150-pound tortoise into custody, the Alhambra Police Department said in a Facebook post

"The tortoise did try to make a run for it; but, our officers are pretty fast. Almost had a pursuit!" the post said.

Officials said they received a call about the animal when someone found it at 6th Street and Norwood Place. 

The tortoise has distinct markings, police said, and was picked up by animal control. 

The animal's owner can contact the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control center in Downey at 562-940-6898. 



Photo Credit: Alhambra Police Department via Facebook

Police Seize Heroin, Pot From Suspected Drug Dealer's Home

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Police arrested a Manchester man suspected of dealing drugs on Spruce Street after seizing heroin and marijuana from his home on Friday during a narcotics search.

Officers from the East Central Narcotics Taskforce searched the 281 Spruce St. apartment of Alpha Diaby, 25, on a warrant following a several-month investigation into drug sales on Spruce Street involving a drug dealer going by "Africa," who they believed operated out of the address, police said.

Police found and seized 6.71 grams of "pure heroin," a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and positively identified Diaby as "Africa."

Manchester police arrested Diaby on charges of possession of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to sell, possession of heroin within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of heroin with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of one half ounce or less of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school.

Police issued him a $250,000 surety bond.



Photo Credit: Manchester Police Department

One Killed, One Injured in New Haven Shooting

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Police are investigating a homicide after a shooting that happened late Friday night in New Haven that killed one man and injured another. 

Police responded to Kensington Street at the Chapel Street intersection at 9:47 p.m. after receiving numerous 911 calls reporting that someone was shot, according to New Haven police spokesman Officer David Hartman. Police and medics arrived to discover two men shot on the sidewalk, identifying the gunshot victims as Troy Mitchell, 26, and Tyrese Jones, both of New Haven.

Both men were transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital, but Jones, who had the more serious injuries of the two men, died at midnight at the hospital, police said. Mitchell's injuries aren't life threatening and he is in stable condition, medical staff told police.

The shooter fled the crime scene in a car and was described to police as a man wearing denim blue jeans and a dark colored T-shirt, Hartman said. It is unknown at this time what type of car the shooter escaped in and whether the person was driving or riding as a passenger in the escape vehicle, police said. Police have not reported whether or not they have identified a suspect.

Police recovered a gun at the scene, but it is unclear at this time who is the owner.

Detectives remained on scene overnight interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence. The homicide and shootings remain under investigation.

New Haven police ask anyone with information about the shootings to contact the department at 203-946-6304.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Decision 2014: Hitting the Campaign Trail

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We're just over a week away from the primary, and the campaign between GOP rivals Tom Foley and John McKinney is heating up.

The two candidates spent time in New Britain this week, courting voters in the Hardware City with Republican Mayor Erin Stewart.

The candidates talk with George Colli about everything from urban development, small business initiatives, tax relief and homelessness.

Former NBC Connecticut political chief and host of “Connecticut Newsmakers”, Tom Monahan catches up with Gerry Brooks. Monahan weighs in on the Governor and Lt. Governor races.

With the primary election coming up on Aug. 12, Todd Piro asks Sec. of State Denise Merrill what everyone needs to know about where and how to vote in the state.

Episode 4 – Aug. 3, 2014

  • WATCH: George Colli hits the campaign trail with Tom Foley and John McKinney as they visit New Britain.
  • WATCH: Gerry Brooks catches up with the former NBC Connecticut Political Chief Tom Monahan.
  • WATCH: Todd Piro talks with Sec. of State Denise Merrill about how to prepare for the Aug. 12 primary.

Web Exclusives

  • WATCH: Tom Foley talks business with George Colli in New Britain.
  • WATCH: John McKinney explains his middle-class tax relief plan.
  • WATCH: New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart advises GOP hopefuls on how to get the vote in Connecticut cities.


Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
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