Two former UConn students have pleaded guilty to reckless burning after an incident that caused nearly $25,000 in damage to a townhouse apartment and several cars near the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs in October 2015.

Police responded to the apartments in Storrs around 5:20 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2015 to investigate reports of a motor vehicle fire and found three scorched cars. As investigators looked into the case, they determined the fire has been set with gasoline, police said.

Police said two roommates -- Logan Rama, of New Milford, and David Kuhn, of Sherman – were accused of setting fire to cars outside apartments after being thrown out of a party on Carriage House Drive.

Kuhn was initially charged with first-degree arson, first-degree criminal mischief, tampering with a motor vehicle, first–degree reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit arson.

Rama was initially charged with first-degree arson, first-degree conspiracy to commit arson, first-degree criminal mischief, tampering with a motor vehicle and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Rama and Kuhn both pleaded guilty to reckless burning and are due to be sentenced on Aug. 18.

A 78-year-old woman was attacked by a pit bull in New Haven on the Fourth of July.

The woman was attacked at her home on Hubinger Street. The dog belongs to tenants who just moved into the house, New Haven Fire Department Chief John Alston said. 

The victim sustained injuries to her face, head and arms. She had lost a large amount of blood because of puncture wounds and undergoing surgery at the hospital, Alston said. 

It is not clear if the woman was at her home or if the dog is hers. 

Animal control took the dog in custody.

No other information was immediately available. 

Loading up the family and heading out to the fireworks stand, you might have fielded this question a time or two from an inquisitive toddler: why do we shoot off fireworks every Fourth of July? 

The tradition spans centuries, dating back to the very first celebration of America's independence.

The Massachusetts Historical Society even found an old letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams the day before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, envisioning what he hoped the celebrations would become in the years to come.

"It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more," Adams wrote to his wife on July 3, 1776.

And sure enough, the star-spangled day's fiery tribute spread like wildfire.

James Heintze, the author of "The Fourth of July Encyclopedia," resurfaced some of the earliest reports of gunpowder being shot during celebrations on July 25, 1776. The Virginia Gazette described crowds gathering in Williamsburg for a military parade with the firing of cannon gunpowder.

One year later, 13 fireworks were shot high above the city of Philadelphia to commemorate the anniversary.

"About noon all the armed ships and gallies in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colours of the United States and streamers displayed," the Virginia Gazette wrote on July 4, 1777. "At one o'clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen gallies, in honour of the Thirteen United States."

And the rest is history.

Today, firework shows are a central part of Fourth of July celebrations in cities and towns across America.

Find a fireworks display around the Bay Area.

Police and fire crews are searching the Houstaonic River in New Milford.

The search is happening on the river near West Street.

Officials believe someone may have fallen into the water, but it is not clear at this time. 

No other information was immediately available. 

Flames sparked at a barn in Scotland on Tuesday, Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications said. 

The barn fire broke out at 75 Murphy Hill Road, dispatch said. 

No other information was immediately available. 

Police were led on a pursuit in Ansonia after they found a victim who had been shot.

Multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area of North Main Street and Fourth Street came into the Ansonia Police Department at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. 

Responding officers found a 27-year-old man with a single gun shot wound to his upper body. The victim was transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries, police said. 

Witnesses on the scene described a dark-colored Honda fleeing and Derby police attempted to stop a car matching the suspect vehicle description.

The driver led police on a chase from Derby to West Haven before getting into an accidnet. The driver was transported to the hospital for treatment. 

Police recovered a handgun along the route of the pursuit. 

No arrests have been made and the incident is still under investigation. 

City beaches along the Connecticut shoreline filled up quickly with people celebrating Independence Day and enjoying the sunshine.

The perfect Fourth of July forecast was good news for seasonal businesses that depend on sunny days.

“Usually it’s pretty slow and then for about three hours it is just non-stop,” said Ann Lee, who owns and operates the Just Chilin’ food truck with her husband by the beach in West Haven.

After big crowds during Monday night’s fireworks display by Savin Rock, Lee expects her business to benefit from another busy day at the beach.

“It’s all about the weather,” Lee said. “This is a weather driven business. If it’s rainy, you don’t bother coming out because you’re not making any money, but on a day like today it’s a fabulous place to be."

In Milford, Walnut Beach’s parking lot was at capacity before noon.

“To live a mile from the beach, you have to come down,” said Jen Lynch, who visited Walnut Beach with her family on the Fourth of July. “If you drive down the street you see all the out of state license plates, a lot of people come down here that don’t live in Connecticut.”

In recent years, Lynch said there has been a resurgence making Walnut Beach an even better shoreline summer destination.

“We never had hot dog carts down here,” Lynch said. “There’s food and we’ve been here for 10 years and in the past two years I would say it’s really come on.”

One of the vendors lined up by the Milford beach is Donna Carty with her Italian ice and hot dog stands.

“I really like to make a good profit,” Carty said. “But you know, I enjoy being here as well. It’s like a job and vacation all in the same breath.”

Even after the sun sets on the perfect afternoon at the beach, the Independence Day festivities in Milford will continue.

“We’ll probably go home for a little bit, come back watch the fireworks,” Lynch said. “The fireworks are amazing on the beach on Fourth of July.”

For Lee, this holiday is especially meaningful.

“I’m a naturalized American,” she said. “I’m very proud to say, born in another country, came over here took my test so today’s a big holiday for me.”

Lee said she believes her summer food truck business is a way to live out the American Dream.

“The American dream is to work hard and be rewarded,” she said. “And this is my reward.”

Seven people have been killed and at least 62 more wounded in shootings across Chicago since noon Friday, marking a bloody holiday weekend that surpassed last year's violence, according to police.

The most recent fatality happend late Tuesday when a 52-year-old man, believed to be an unintended target in a shooting, was killed while standing outside his home in the city's North Austin neighborhood, according to police.  

On Friday, three men were killed in a shooting in the 5700 block of South Wells at approximately 8:50 p.m., police say. A 50-year-old man was shot in the chest and the leg, and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. A 30-year-old man was also killed at the scene. The two victims were on a porch when two armed men opened fire, striking and killing both of them.

According to Chicago Police, two possible offenders are currently in custody in connection with the slaying.

Another victim, a 51-year-old man, was found dead at the same scene, according to police.

The fourth homicide of the weekend occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, as a 47-year-old man was shot and killed in the 4200 block of South State Street. 

Also on Sunday, a 39-year-old man was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head around 11:35 p.m. on the 1800 block of West 14th Street, police said.

And police also responded Tuesday to the city's Riverdale neighborhood where a 21-year-old man, who was not the intended target of a shooting, was killed around 5:18 p.m.

Shootings for the rest of the weekend are detailed below.

Friday
The first shooting of the weekend occurred at noon on Friday when an 18-year-old man was shot in the leg during a robbery in the 4200 block of West Grenshaw. After the robbery, which saw the victim shot in the upper leg when the assailant pulled out a gun, the man transported himself to West Suburban Hospital, where he is listed in good condition.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Friday afternoon in the 3200 block of West Madison. He is currently in serious condition at Stroger Hospital after an acquaintance accidentally shot him in the back and fled from the scene.

Two people were shot in the 3300 block of West Douglas at 4:25 p.m. Friday while standing on a street corner. A 26-year-old man was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition, and a 17-year-old boy was transported to Mt. Sinai in critical condition, according to police.

At 7:20 p.m. on Friday, a 26-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and in the right thigh while sitting on a porch at the corner of Lockwood and Madison. He was transported to Mt. Sinai in good condition, according to police.

At 9:10 p.m. Friday night, a 33-year-old man was shot in the 8500 block of S. Givins Court. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds when an unknown gunman emerged from a gangway and opened fire. The man was able to drive away from the scene, and he was transported to Christ Hospital in serious condition.

A 62-year-old man driving an unlicensed cab was robbed by a man and a woman in the 9100 block of South Cottage Grove at 9:53 p.m. Friday night. After a struggle in the cab, the driver was shot in the foot, and the man and woman escaped with an unknown amount of money. The cab driver drove himself to the hospital and is in good condition at St. Bernard, according to police.

A 25-year-old man was shot in the left arm and left leg while standing on a sidewalk in the 4500 block of West Jackson at 10:10 p.m. on Friday night. A dark colored vehicle drove by and two male occupants of the car opened fire, striking the man. The man was taken to Mt. Sinai in critical condition.

At 10:20 p.m. on Friday night, a 20-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and taken to Christ Hospital in stable condition. The victim told police that he was standing on the sidewalk when he heard gunshots, and he felt pain in his abdomen before realizing that he had been shot.

Two more people were shot around 11:00 p.m. on Friday night in the 1000 block of East 73^rd Street. A 24-year old man was shot in the arm and transported to Christ Hospital in stable condition, while a 22-year old woman was shot in the leg and stomach. The woman was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, police said.

The victims in the case were uncooperative with authorities, and the rest of the circumstances of the case are unknown.

Saturday
At approximately 2:05 a.m. on Saturday morning, a 29-year-old woman was shot in the stomach in the 200 block of West 114^th Street. A black vehicle drove past the victim and shots were fired, striking her in the stomach according to police. She was transported to Christ Hospital in serious condition.

 A 25-year-old man was shot after a verbal altercation in the 2000 block of West Lemoyne at 2:26 a.m. Saturday morning. The man was shot in the knee, and he was transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition.

A 23-year-old man was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition at 2:35 a.m. Saturday morning after suffering a gunshot wound to the leg. According to police, the victim was walking down the street when he was shot by an unknown assailant in the 2100 block of North Pulaski.

A 13-year-old boy was shot in the buttock at 2:37 a.m. Saturday morning, according to police. The boy was walking down the street when he heard shots and felt pain, according to police. He was transported to Comers Hospital in unknown condition.

Around 5 a.m. on Saturday morning, two people were shot after an argument at a residence in the 2700 block of West Washington. A 28-year-old man was shot in the right thigh and left foot and was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. A 23-year-old woman was shot in the right leg and was taken to the hospital in good condition.

At 3:46 p.m. on Saturday, a 27-year-old man suffered a graze wound to his ankle in a shooting in the 2400 block of South St. Louis. The victim was standing on the sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain in his ankle. The victim took himself to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he is in good condition. 

At 6:45 p.m. a 32-year-old man suffered a graze wound on his right thigh in the 1500 Block of West 63rd Street. The victim was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, according to police. 

At 6:53 p.m. Saturday, two women were shot in the 6300 block of South Artesian. A 44-year-old woman was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Christ Hospital in stable condition, and a 50-year-old woman was shot on the right side of her body and was also taken to Christ Hospital in stable condition. 

A 32-year-old woman was shot in the left arm and taken to Stroger Hospital in stable condition. The incident occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. in the 4000 block of West Polk. According to the woman, she was standing in a vacant lot when shots rang out from a grey Dodge Charger that was traveling eastbound on Arthington. 

Two people were shot at approximately 10 p.m. in the 900 block of East 79th Street. A 28-year-old man was shot multiple times and was taken to Christ Hospital in critical condition. A second victim, a 27-year-old man, was shot in the right ankle and transported himself to Jackson Park Hospital in stable condition. According to police, the shooting was gang-related. 

A 25-year-old man was shot in the neck and was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition. The shooting occurred after a physical altercation with a 31-year-old man, who pulled out a gun and allegedly shot the victim. The incident occurred at 10:05 p.m. in the 5000 block of South Cottage Grove, and the alleged shooter is in custody, according to police. 

A 19-year-old man was shot in the buttocks in the 7300 block of South Greenwood. The shooting occurred at approximately 10:20 p.m., and the victim was taken to Northwestern Hospital in good condition, according to police. 

Sunday
A 49-year-old man was shot multiple times and was taken to Christ Hospital in serious condition. The incident occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. in the 7200 block of South Evans. 

Two people were shot in the 100 block of North California at 1:15 a.m. One of the victims, a 29-year-old man, was shot multiple times and was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition. A second victim, a 28-year-old man, was shot in the left hand and is listed in stable condition at Mt. Sinai. According to police, the second victim is uncooperative, but police believe that the shooting is gang-related. 

A 23-year-old man was shot in the head and transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition in the 3000 block of West Roosevelt. The man was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at a stoplight, and was shot by occupants in a passing vehicle, according to police. 

A 24-year-old man was shot twice in the back after an unknown gunman approached him on foot and opened fire in the 4500 block of West Jackson Blvd. The victim was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition. 

At approximately 4 a.m., a 22-year-old woman was shot in the right leg and transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in stable condition. 

A 27-year-old man was shot in both legs while standing on a sidewalk in the 500 block of North Sawyer. The victim was taken to Mt. Sinai in stable condition. According to police, a person in a passing blue sedan fired shots at the victim, and the shooting is gang-related. 

An 18-year-old man was shot in the right leg and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. The shooting occurred in the 2400 block of South Washtenaw at approximately 4:40 a.m. According to police, the man was talking southbound on Washtenaw when two male offenders emerged from a gangway and opened fire. 

At approximately 4:45 a.m., a 30-year-old man was shot in the right leg while walking on a sidewalk in the 5100 block of West Madison. The victim was taken to Loretto Hospital in stable condition. 

A 25-year-old man was shot in the left leg on the 4400 block of West Madison at approximately 5:27 a.m. He took himself to Mt. Sinai, where he is listed in good condition. 

A woman was shot in a possible domestic-related incident in the 5400 block of West Gladys on Sunday monring. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and transported herself to Loretto Hospital, where she was listed in good condition. 

A man riding a bicycle was shot in the right hip at approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. The victim, a 23-year-old man, was transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition. 

A 19-year-old man was shot in the stomach and transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. According to police, the victim was walking down the street when a vehicle approached and one of the occupants opened fire. The shooting occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. in the 5100 block of South Christiana.

Three teenagers were shot in the 3500 block of West Ogden at approximately 8:09 p.m. Sunday night. All three victims, two 19-year-olds and a 17-year-old, were taken to St. Anthony Hospital in good condition. According to police, the two 19-year-olds are both affiliated with gangs. The teens told police that they were standing outside when they heard gunshots. 

A man was shot in the 2400 block of South Harding at approximately 9:06 p.m. The victim is in good condition, according to police.

A 29-year-old man was shot in the back at about 9 p.m. in an alley in the 2400 block of South Pulaski. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in stable condition. Police said the man was standing in an alley when shots were fired from an unknown source and he was struck. No one was in custody.

A 39-year-old man was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head around 11:35 p.m., police said. Officers arrived to find the man dead on the 1800 block of West 14th Street, police said. Police said the circumstances surrounding his death were immediately unknown and no one was in custody.

Monday:

A 22-year-old man was shot by a BB gun in the left arm, police said. He told police he was sitting on a residence porch in the 5600 block of West West End when a man approached him at about 1:15 a.m. and fired shots. The victim is a documented gang member, police said. No one was in custody, and the victim was in good condition.

A 19-year-old man was shot in the right leg at about 12:20 a.m. in the 1700 block of North Kildare, police said. He said he was walking when an unknown man armed with a gun approached him on foot and fired shots. No one was in custody, police said, and the victim was in stable condition at Stroger Hospital.

A 38-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand at about 1:10 a.m. in the 7400 block of South Coles, police said. While the circumstances of the shooting were unknown, police said the victim was 'highly intoxicated and uncooperative with police." No one was in custody, and the victim was taken to Northwestern Hospital in stable condition.

A 37-year-old man was shot twice in the right hip around 10 a.m. in the 1300 block of South California, police said. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition.

A 32-year-old man was shot in the arm, police said, around 10:13 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Central Park. He told police he was walking down the street when he saw a gray-colored vehicle turn the corner. He heard shots ring out and felt pain, police said. He was in good condition at Norwegian Hospital, police said.

Two men were shot while sitting in a vehicle around 5:30 p.m. in the 4300 block of South Ashland Avenue. Police said a 22-year-old man and a 23-year-old man told officers they were in a vehicle when someone in a light-colored van fired shots at them and fled the scene. The 22-year-old was shot multiple times in the left ribs and the 23-year-old was shot in the left hand. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital in stable condition, police said.

A 21-year-old man was shot in the head and groin while standing outside around 6:40 p.m. in the 100 block of South Pulaski, police said. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. Police said the man told officers he was standing outside when someone began firing shots and him and fled in an unknown direction. 

A 60-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk just before 11:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of South Hamlin when he told officers he heard shots and felt pain. He suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition, authorities said. 

Tuesday
A 26-year-old woman walked into Norwegian Hospital around 5 a.m. with a gunshot wound to her right hand. Police said the woman was treated and released before officers could interview her, but she told hospital staff she was walking in the 1600 block of North Sawyer Avenue in the Logan Square neighborhood when she heard shots and felt pain in her hand. The incident remained under investigation later Tuesday morning but police said no crime scene had been located as of 8 a.m. 

Around 3:48 p.m., two men were shot in the 11600 block of S. State St. in the city’s West Pullman neighborhood, according to police. A 20-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the armpit and an 18-year-old man was shot in the head and right arm, authorities said. Both were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition, according to police.

A 21-year-old man who was not the intended target of a shooting was killed around 5:18 p.m. in the city’s Riverdale neighborhood, officials said. He was sitting in a parked car in the 200 block of East 132nd St. when a light-colored sedan pulled up and opened fire at another vehicle, according to police. Authorities said he was shot in the face and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced.

Around 7:20 p.m., two men were shot in the city’s West Town neighborhood, according to police. They were involved in a physical altercation on the street with several other men in the 600 block of N. Campbell Ave. when someone opened fire, police said. A 38-year-old man was shot in the arm and took himself to Norwegian Hospital, where he was in good condition. A 26-year-old man walked into Norwegian Hospital with a gunshot wound to the left ankle and was listed in stable condition, authorities said.

Less than 20 minutes later, officials said a 26-year-old woman was shot in the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. She was in the 6400 block of S. Ellis Ave. when she was shot in the scalp around 7:38 p.m., according to police. She took herself to the University of Chicago Medical Center where she was listed in stable condition, officials said.

A second man believed to be an unintended target was fatally shot in Chicago at around 8:14 p.m. on Tuesday, according to police. The 52-year-old man was in front of his residence in the 1600 block of N. Major Ave. in the city’s North Austin neighborhood when someone opened fire from a car, authorities said. He was shot in the head and taken to Loyola Hospital in critical condition, while a 19-year-old man was also struck as he stood outside, according to police. The 19-year-old was taken to Loyola Hospital with a gunshot wound to the back and was listed in serious condition, officials said.

Two pedestrians were struck in a fatal crash on Route 44 in Pomfret on Tuesday night. 

One victim died after being struck by a vehicle on at 567 Mashamoquet Road, or Route 44, late in the evening, Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications said. 

The second victim was transported to the hospital for serious injuries. 

Route 44 is closed and it is not clear when it will reopen. 

No other details were immediately available. 

A large crowd enjoyed one of central Connecticut's largest Independence Day events on Tuesday.

A fireworks display that lasted for nearly a half hour sent beautiful bursts of color over Stanley Quarter Park in New Britain.

Tens of thousands of spectators watched the show, under clear skies.

"We're so excited about the fireworks and the kids love it. So we decided to come out to enjoy it," Kadian Campbell, who lives in New Britain, said.

The city's 'Great American Boom' is not to be missed, spectators said.

"New Britain has the best fireworks in Connecticut," said Jillian Spitsbergen, of New Britain.

Before the fireworks display, it was a night of fun for families. The event included live music, many food vendors and plenty of patriotism. The pyrotechnics, though, were the main event.

“This is one of the best displays we've had in over ten years," said Shaleela Pina of New Britain. " I've come every year and this is the most fantastic that we've had," she said.

People were also celebrating New Britain's designation by the National Civic League as an ‘All-America City’.

President Donald Trump left for Europe Wednesday morning ahead of the G-20 Summit, his second appearance on the world stage, NBC News reported.

Trump arrives in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday afternoon (Eastern time) and is expected to make a speech and meet with the leaders of Poland and Croatia. He will also attend the summit of the Three Seas Initiative, all before the G-20 summit begins Friday in Hamburg, Germany, with his counterparts from countries including Russia, France, Germany, Turkey, Mexico and more.

In a much-anticipated face-to-face, Trump is slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, likely to discuss Ukraine, Syria and the alleged Russian meddling in the election.

After Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, Trump could receive a potentially chilly reception from other world leaders. And there are tough conversations to be had, including on battling terrorism, international trade and climate change.

Authorities are searching for a driver who struck a Waterbury police officer and took off Wednesday morning.

State Police said an officer was struck by a vehicle but could not confirm exactly where the incident took place. Police were searching the area of Mark Lane Wednesday morning.

A K9 unit was called in to assist.

It is unknown at this time if the officer is hurt.

A police officer was shot and killed while sitting in a marked NYPD command vehicle with her partner in the Bronx Wednesday morning in what officials called "an unprovoked attack on cops."

NYPD Officer Miosotis Familia, 48, was stationed in a mobile command post, a RV-sized truck used as a communications hub during major events like the Fourth of July, in the area of 183rd Street and Morris Avenue in Fordham, according to Police Commissioner James O'Neill.

She was wrapping up her shift just after midnight and had been looking down, writing in her memo book -- a police log where officers record their shift activity -- when a gunman walked up and fired through the passenger side window, O'Neill said.

The gunman, identified by police as Alexander Bonds, is seen in surveillance footage marching up to the post "with purpose," officials said. The bullet struck Familia in the head. Her partner immediately radioed in for assistance.

"Shots fired! 10-85!" the officer is heard shouting after the gunfire, including the code for an officer down. "My partner's shot! My partner's shot! My partner's shot! Hurry up, central!"

An anti-crime team consisting of a sergeant and a police officer who were in uniform encountered the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Alexander Bonds of the Bronx, running about one block away from the scene of the shooting, O'Neill said.

They confronted the suspect, who took out a gun and pointed it at them. The officers then fired at him and killed him, O'Neill said. A silver revolver was recovered at the scene.

Another person, believed to be a bystander, was also struck by a bullet in the stomach, police said. The man is in stable condition.

Familia was taken to an area hospital in extremely critical condition, authorities said. She later died.

Familia was a 12-year veteran of the NYPD and a member of the 46th Precinct. She was a mother of three who came to policing relatively later in life.

"Based off what we know right now, it's clear this was an unprovoked attack on a police officer who are assigned to keep the people of this great city safe," O'Neill said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Familia was "serving this city protecting people, doing what she believed in and the job she loved."

"After this shocking and sudden attack, her fellow officers came to her aid immediately," he said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said all New Yorkers share in the pain and heartbreak caused by her death.

Meanwhile, there was a sea of blue outside of the hospital. Officers lined up near the ambulance entrance to salute their fallen co-worker as her body was transported to Bellevue Hospital.

Shock surrounded the neighborhood after just celebrating the Fourth of July. Numerous streets remain closed around the crime scene.

Bonds, who went by two names -- Alexander and John -- had been on parole for a robbery case in Syracuse. He was sentenced in 2006 to six years and 10 months to eight years in the case, and was released on parole in May 2013, with a supervision completion date set for May 2018.

The shooting recalled the Dec. 20, 2014 killing of patrol officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were ambushed and shot to death in their vehicle without warning by a man who approached the passenger window of their marked police car. The suspect, 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley, then fatally shot himself. Brinsley announced online in the moments before the shooting that he was planning to shoot two "pigs" in retaliation for the police chokehold death of Eric Garner.

Witness Jay Marzelli told the Daily News he thought the shots Wednesday were fireworks at first.

"I was in this bodega right here on Creston, just getting a sandwich and all of a sudden there was all this running and stuff going on, and I look out probably 40, 50, 60 cops screaming, 'Call a paramedic, clear the block!'" he said. "It looked like there was a riot going on, and two seconds later I hear gunshots, 'Bam, bam,' and then the police officer was just laying there."

PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said in a statement that Familia "gave her life protecting a neighborhood that had been plagued by gang gun violence. Fully knowing the dangers that she faced, she suited up in a uniform every day and stood tall against those who threaten and terrorize the good folks of the Bronx."

"We will keep her in our hearts and minds as we do all of the women and men who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the city they loved," he said.

Emergency crews responded to a serious crash on Hopmeadow Street (Route 10/202) in Simsbury Wednesday, according to the fire department.

The crash happened in the area of 995 Hopmeadow Street. The road was closed but has since reopened.

LifeStar dispatchers confirmed they responded to the crash.

More details were not immediately available. Check back for updates.

Crews are working to repair a water main Break on Oak Ridge Avenue in Danbury, according to the mayor.

Mayor Mark Boughton said that the break occurred in front of 7/9 Oak Ridge Avenue. Customers on Oak Ridge Avenue, Ridge Road, Concord Road, Green Avenue, Lexington Avenue and Claremont Avenue should expect to lose water or low water pressure while repairs are made. Customers in surrounding areas may have discolored water.

Repairs are expected to take between four to six hours.

Anyone with questions can call the Public Utilities Main Office at 203-797-4637.

Illinois lawmakers voted Tuesday to rename a portion of Interstate 55 after former President Barack Obama.

The state Senate voted in favor a resolution passed by the House last week to designate the stretch of I-55 from the Tri-State Tollway south to mile marker 202 near Pontiac as the “Barack Obama Presidential Expressway.”

State Rep. LaShawn Ford introduced the legislation in February to honor the former president, who calls Chicago’s South Side home and served as an Illinois state senator before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.

“We can imagine that then state Senator Obama made many trips between Springfield and Chicago on Interstate 55, so it is very fitting that we rename Interstate 55 as the Barack Obama Expressway,” Ford said at the time.

The stretch of I-55 from Lake Shore Drive in Chicago to the Tri-State Tollway is currently named after Adlai Stevenson, the late Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate.

Ford initially wanted to rename the rest of the 270-mile stretch of the expressway to East St. Louis after Obama, but the portion being renamed was changed in March.

“Renaming I-55 for President Barack Obama would not only be an honor for America’s 44th president, but it will be the right measure we should approve for Illinois’ very own state Senator and U.S. Senator,” Ford said, adding, “This would be one of the many highways and byways that will be named for Barack Obama, so it is only right that Illinois be at the forefront of the many actions that will rename streets and highways for President Obama."

The resolution asks that the Illinois Department of Transportation place signs bearing the expressway’s new name at locations consistent with state and federal regulations.

Connecticut State Police have charged a man with illegal possession of fireworks after finding around $20,000-worth of fireworks in Durham Tuesday.

State police said they were called to 26 Pine Ledge Trail in Durham for reports of a large fireworks display. When they arrived they found both exploded and unexploded fireworks at the home.

Theodore Lynch, 50, was arrested and charged with illegal possession of fireworks, reckless endangerment, and breach of peace. He was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on July 19.

The State Police Emergency Services Unit responded to collect and dispose of the fireworks.

Two people were seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Haddam Moodus Road (Route 149) in East Haddam Tuesday.

State police said around 10:40 p.m. they responded to Haddam Moodus Road near Creek Row for a motorcycle accident. According to police, the motorcycle was traveling when the operator lost control around a curve and crashed into a metal guardrail. Both the operator and passenger were thrown from the vehicle.

The operator, identified as 22-year-old Nicholas Fairchild of Madison, was airlifted to Hartford Hospital with serious injuries. The passenger, 21-year-old Sierra Wilson-gowac of Moodus, was taken by ambulance to Hartford Hospital with serious injuries.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Trooper Loiler at 860-465-5400.

An Orthodox Jewish mixed martial arts fighter and member of the American Top Team was shot dead during a home invasion Monday night in Boca Raton, Florida, police said.

Aaron Rajman, 25, was killed during an argument with several men who entered the home in the Sandalfoot Cove neighborhood and fired at least one shot at him, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The suspects then fled the scene.

“It’s a tragedy and extremely painful for [the family]. Painful for everyone who knew him,” said Rabbi Zalman Bukiet, co-director of Chabad of West Boca Raton.

Rajman was born in the Bronx, New York, and lived in Boca Raton with his mother and siblings. He made his professional MMA debut in April 2014 and had a 2-2 record, according to the SunSentinel. He was 8-1 as an amateur before that.

Rajman is the only Orthodox Jewish fighter in the country, and was believed to be one of the few Orthodox Jews in all of the sport. Known for entering the ring in a yarmulka and tzitzis, those who knew him said his faith played an important role in his life.

Bukiet, Rajman's Rabbi at Chabad of Boca Raton, said the fighter was a servant to his community.

“He was a very good person,” said Bukiet. “Extremely good-hearted person and it’s extremely sad for everybody, extremely sad. As I said, we’ll give the family privacy. They’re really in shock and in pain.”

Detectives are investigation the shooting.

Police are urging the public to contact the Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers with any information. The number for Crime Stoppers in Palm Beach is 1-800-458-TIPS.