A week after a married couple allegedly bent on jihad opened fire on a San Bernardino health center, killing 14 people and injuring 21 others, family members of the victims returned to the site of the bloodbath.

Mourners paid their respects Wednesday with a moment of silence at 11 a.m., the time the Dec. 2 shooting occurred.

Shortly after, family members left a convention center with a six-motorcycle escort, headed to the scene of the crime to collect the victims' belongings. Victims' families were expected to meet with the FBI at the National Orange Show Events Center before heading to the Inland Regional Center.

The 14 men and women killed came from all walks of life. They hailed from the Middle East, Africa, the U.S. and Mexico. One loved the Renaissance Faire, another was an avid gamer. They were husbands, wives, parents and friends, bound by one common thread: All were San Bernardino County employees and had gathered the day they died to celebrate the holidays.

Among the victims is 40-year-old Robert Adams, who married his high school sweetheart. He and his wife, Summer, had plans to take their daughter to Disneyland for the first time.

"He was a loving son, brother, husband and daddy to daughter Savannah," his family said.

Aurora Godoy, 26, who worked as an office assistant, was a wife and the mother of a toddler boy.

"We will keep her flame alive so that her young son does not forget her special mother," wrote her aunt, Rebecca Godoy.

Daniel Kaufman's boyfriend, Ryan Reyes, was initially told Kaufman was only shot in the arm and was led to believe that he was alive 22 hours after the mass shooting, but was later confirmed to have been killed.

Kaufman, 42, ran the coffee shop at the social services center where the shootings occurred and was a larger-than-life character, his friends said.

The gunmen have been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, both of whom police

The couple opened fire on Farook's co-workers the Inland Regional Center before dying in a shootout with police about four hours later.

Federal authorities are investigating the attack as an act of terror, and ISIS has said the couple were followers of the group.

Police are no longer looking for a gold colored SUV after a person of interest came forward in their investigation of a Dec. 1 hit and run on Church Street.

A 36-year-old woman is recovering after she was struck by two separate cars, police said.

A week later, the shoreline community is coming together to collect donations for the victim.

“I’m very sad that it was a hit and run and so close to our store,” said Carol Harrington, the store manager of Ella Where She Shops.

Neither Harrington nor Dee Jacob, the co-owner of Marketplace at Guilford Food Center, know the hit and run victim.

“It doesn’t matter if you know her personally, this time of year you have to look out for those who are in need,” Jacob said.

A collection bag in Ella Where She Shops is where community members are dropping off items like Amazon and Walmart gift cards for the victim’s family.

“The woman has two children and she can’t work right now so we were happy to help and be a donation drop site,” Harrington said.

Marketplace is another drop off site. Jacob said her store is receiving cash donations to provide the victim’s family with food. The first meal was delivered last night.

“She was so happy this was happening because she’s the one that cooks at home and that’s one of the things she can’t do right now,” Jacob said, “It just took a real load off her mind.”

On November 3, Elizabeth Braun was struck and killed by a car on the same Guilford street. It was dark out during both collisions.

No word from police if the driver from last week’s hit and run will face any charges.

A man was arrested in downtown San Diego’s East Village early Wednesday morning after he allegedly attacked an Uber driver, stole his car and crashed into another car in front of a hotel, police confirmed.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the bizarre crime began around 2:15 a.m. with the assault and carjacking of an Uber driver at 10th Avenue and E Street.

Police said the Uber driver was in a parking lot when the 28-year-old suspect walked up to his Nissan Versa, punched the driver in the face and drove off in the victim’s car.

Minutes later, the stolen car was reported to have crashed into another vehicle in front of the lobby of the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina at 333. W. Harbor Dr.

After the collision, police said the suspect ran into the hotel and began pounding on doors. Officers were called to the hotel and, after a short struggle with the suspect, took him into custody. No injuries were reported at the hotel.

The suspect was identified as the man who punched the Uber driver and stole his car. The suspect’s name was not released. It is unknown if drugs or alcohol were factors in this case.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information should reach out to the police department or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

Locally based Rubio’s Restaurants Inc. will relocate to new headquarters facilities in Carlsbad, after signing a lease valued at $5.5 million, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

A statement from the brokerage firm, which represented landlord Regent Properties, said the restaurant company will occupy 27,000 square feet at the office building known as Studio 2200, at 2220 Faraday Ave. Rubio’s will combine its administrative operations and a test kitchen, moving from current separate leased spaces located, respectively, at 1902 Wright Place and 6211 Yarrow Drive in Carlsbad.

Los Angeles-based Regent Properties was represented in the 10-year lease deal by Aric Starck of Cushman & Wakefield. Rubio’s was represented by Craig Knox of Hughes Marino Inc.

The fast-casual Rubio’s, currently led by CEO Marc Simon and co-founder Ralph Rubio, was started in 1983 and operates 193 Mexican-style restaurants in California and four other western states. It recently acquired eight locations in Florida, its first on the East Coast.
 

 The future redevelopment of a major piece of land along the downtown waterfront took a big step forward after years of lawsuits and planning.

The Civic San Diego Board of Directors approved the Pacific Gateway project proposal set forth by the Manchester Financial Group at a meeting Wednesday night.

The development would replace the section of land where the Navy’s Broadway complex has sat for decades along the San Diego Bay waterfront downtown.

The roughly $1.2 billion project would include 12 acres of hotel, retail and residential space in addition to several parks and a 40,000 square foot museum.

During Wednesday’s meeting, board members met to discuss whether the project is consistent with urban design guidelines.

In the past, the project has faced legal opposition and delays. Several years ago in 2011, the state coastal commissioners denied the project. 

The Navy facility currently on the land will not leaving the area, officials said. The plan instead would be to build the Navy a new facility elsewhere on the 8-block property, just not necessarily on the waterfront. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, only two people spoke. One of them voiced his concern about putting such a huge development so close to a military facility.

"After Paris and San Bernardino, there are serious considerations this city needs to make if they're going to mix retail with the top command and control of the fleet...(it’s a) very serious issue,” said Scott Andrews, an opponent of the project.

A spokesman for Manchester said the Navy complex would be separated and secured from the rest of the public space.

If the project gets full approval, demolition and construction could begin as early as March.

The body of a woman was found floating in a lagoon in Carlsbad Wednesday morning, officials confirmed.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's (ME) office said the body of 50-year-old Gwen DeValliere, a married Carlsbad resident, was discovered by a paddle boarder in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Her cause of death has not been determined.

According to the Carlsbad Police Department, officers received a report of a body just after 9 a.m., near the 4700 block of Bayshore Drive.

The Carlsbad Fire Department and California State Lifeguards searched the lagoon, which is located in the 4600 block of Park Drive, between Bruce Road and Cove Drive, nestled within a residential area.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department also helped in the search via air, using the department's ASTREA helicopter.

At 9:40 a.m., the search team found DeValliere's body in the water. As of 10:40 a.m., crews were working to recover the body from the lagoon. By 11:40 a.m., officials had pulled DeValliere from the water and onto a dock, and could be seen wheeling her to a vehicle.

The ME's office said DeValliere lived alone at a Carlsbad apartment complex.

There is a recreational boat rental area on the lagoon, but the facility was closed Wednesday, so there were very few boats in the water at the time of the grisly discovery.

The lagoon is used daily by many residents and visitors alike, many of whom were surprised to hear the news of the woman found floating in the water.

Kyle Perry told NBC 7 he grew up in the neighborhood and was downright shocked.

“It’s really strange,” said Perry. “I’ve never heard of anything like that – it’s just crazy to me.”

The Yard House in downtown San Diego is closing permanently, the restaurant announced in a statement on Wednesday.

The restaurant at the corner of Broadway and Fourth Avenue shuttered last month because of a plumbing pipe break, according to a sign on the door.

The Yard House on its website characterized it as a temporary closure, but issued the statement on Wednesday saying it had “made the very difficult decision” to close for good.

Yard House president Craig Carlyle said in the statement that staffers evaluated the building after the damage and “determined it was no longer feasible to operate from this location.”

“It’s a very sad day for the Yard House family, especially our downtown San Diego team members,” Carlyle said in the statement.

The Yard House, a restaurant chain that launched in Southern California 19 years ago, had been at the downtown location since 2003.

In September, a Yard House opened at Mission Valley Mall, the only other location in San Diego County.

About 40 percent of Yard House's downtown employees were moved to other restaurants in San Diego County operated by the restaurant's parent company, Darden.

 A previously deported sex offender was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents Tuesday five miles from the Calexico Port of Entry. 

29-year-old Terry Orozco Vaca, a Mexican national, attempted to illegally enter the U.S. five miles west of the port of entry, U.S. Border Patrol (BP) agents said. 

When BP agents ran his information through the system, they found he he previously been convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in Santa Ana. He was sentenced to 157 days in jail and three years probation and was later removed from the county on March 14, 2012. 

BP agents are processing him for Re-Entry After Removal as a convicted sex offender. 

Since the start of the year, agents have arrested eight convicted sex offenders for trying to re-enter the U.S. after being removed. 

Federal officials raided two card rooms in San Diego County and issued arrest warrants for 25 people in connection with an alleged conspiracy to launder millions in profits from high-stakes poker games.

Law enforcement officials raided Seven Mile Casino on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista and the Black Jack Palomar Casino on El Cajon Boulevard and Oregon Street before 9 a.m., seizing more than $600,000 in player accounts and bank accounts.

Arrests were also made in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada, Northern California, Los Angeles and Orange County. Charges ranged from illegal bookmaking, money laundering and failing to report winnings to federal authorities.

Federal prosecutors claim David Stroj, aka "Fat Dave", of San Diego, hired people to recruit clients to the high-stakes games several times a week and then conspired to launder the money through local card rooms. 

Stroj faces federal charges of running an illegal bookmaking, poker and blackjack business as well as money laundering and transporting someone from Mexico to California with the intent to engage in prostitution.

Prosecutors claim Stroj would have bookmaking clients write checks to the card rooms so it would be deposited into another player's account. Federal officials say that money would then be withdrawn in cash or chips.  This also occurred with the Wynn and Bellagio casinos in Las Vegas, federal officials allege.

"Fat Dave" took approximately $2 million a month in gambling activity making about $500,000 profit, federal officials claim.

The four people arraigned in federal court Wednesday allegedly recruited clients from the Barona Casino, Las Vegas and Mexico on behalf of Stroj, according to prosecutors. Craig Kolk, Ricardo Castellanos-Velasquez and Duy Trang were granted bail after their court appearance. Ali Lareybi was detained pending a hearing on Friday at 10 a.m.

Seventeen other people were in custody. Four were fugitives and warrants have been issued for their arrests.

The operator of the Palomar Card Club, Naseem "Nick" Salem, is accused of failing to track winners earning more than $10,000 a day.

“All financial institutions include casinos are required to report any cash transaction over $10,000,” said Joshua Mellor, Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Prosecutors also claim Salem moved money around on an illegal blackjack and poker business so he would escape detection.

Harvey Souza, owner of Seven Mile Casino, was arrested Wednesday at his Bonita home, accused of not keeping track of who won more than $10,000 a day at his casino. 

“They were not duped. It was criminal in nature,” Mellor said.

Souza spoke with NBC 7 when the card room opened in July. Unlike tribal casinos, card rooms do not offer slot gaming. Patrons enjoy games like blackjack, baccarat, pai-gow and poker.

At the time it was one of only four in the county with two in San Diego and one in Oceanside.

After the raid, employees at Seven Mile Casino maintained none of the 24 other co-defendants are associated with the card room. Here is the official statement:

"Seven Mile Casino, owned and operated by Harvey Souza and his family, have worked tirelessly for the past 70 years to build upon their great-grandfather’s legacy and comply with the evolving regulations regarding card rooms across the state. As a family and as a business, they are very much invested in the community of Chula Vista and the industry. We look forward to working with the California Bureau of Gambling Control to resolve all issues."

California’s Bureau of Gambling Control issued Emergency Closure Orders on both the Palomar and Village Club card rooms effective immediately.

Other defendants named in the indictment include: Matthew Greenwood, Jeffrey Broadt, Jeffrey Stoff, Arturo Diaz-Ramirez, Jaime Behar, Robert Stroj, Jean Paul Rojo, Joshua Jones, , Alexandra Kane, Bryan Sibbach, Joseph Palermo, Thomas Mallozzi, Stephen Bednar, Christopher Parsons, Jeffrey Mohr, Kyle Allen, Michael Hipple and Alfredo Barba.

The investigation was launched two years ago by the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Gambling Control. The agency worked with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the California DOJ Indian and Gaming Law Section, the FBI, the IRS, HSI, and the San Diego Sheriff's Department during the investigation.

The Palomar Card Club was in danger of being shut down earlier this year when state gaming officials accused owners Donald and Susan Staats of transferring their license to their daughter. The Staats' business license expired on Nov. 30, 2015 according to legal documents.

'Twas a couple weeks before Christmas and for the 13th year, after a month of decorating, Ruben Lopez had finally transformed his San Diego-area home into a holiday extravaganza.

“This is a labor of love, something I like to do,” said Lopez.

Throughout the holiday season people stop by to enjoy the festival of lights at his home on Reo Drive in the Paradise Hills neighborhood.

Early Wednesday, however, when just a few creatures were stirring, a surveillance camera caught his snowman as he began to walk away.

“The snowman was right here," he showed NBC 7, pointing at an empty space.

A closer look at the video showed the snowman didn’t walk off on his own.The cameras caught what appeared to be someone in a gray hoodie swiping the decoration.

A dark-colored car drove away from the home seconds later.

“It’s just frustrating someone would come and violate our decorations," said Lopez' wife Katy. 

“Not only did you hurt me, you hurt the community. You hurt the little kids that come to this house,” added Ruben.

San Diego Police are now investigating the theft.

A man pleaded guilty Thursday to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of drugs causing great bodily injury.

Joel Joseph Silva, 33, of Julian fatally hit 34-year-old Kimberly Eakin as she walked along Woodside Avenue in Lakeside November 29.

Authorities say they found at least five bottles of prescription drugs in the car. Silva was arrested after officials administered field sobriety tests.

Silva told authorities he fell asleep at the wheel and woke up after the accident.

He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 21.
 

San Diego City Council has unanimously approved plans for a $27 million affordable housing project in North Park, described by developers as the city’s first LGBT-affirming senior housing community.

A statement from developer Community HousingWorks said the transit-friendly, 76-unit project will include support services for residents who are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, though it will be open to all seniors. The developer plans to create an environment welcoming seniors “who have challenges finding LGBT-affirming housing.”

Community HousingWorks will develop the community, at Texas Street and Howard Avenue, with the San Diego LGBT Community Center. The city of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission are providing $7 million toward development and construction, expected to take about 18 months.

Led by President and CEO Sue Reynolds, San Diego-based Community HousingWorks is a non-profit developer that builds, renovates and operates affordable housing communities.
 

Festive lights illuminating the San Diego Bay can only mean one thing: the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights is back – a holiday tradition upheld by the local boating community bulb for bulb, year after year.

The 44th annual Parade of Lights presented by the Port of San Diego returns to the bay on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 with more than 80 boats decked out in bright holiday lights and decorations proceeding from Shelter Island past Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village and Coronado’s Ferry Landing.

The parade route takes the boats about two hours to complete and organizers say there are many waterfront viewpoints along the way where spectators can take in the lights. On both Sundays, the parade procession begins at 5:30 p.m. from the south end of Shelter Island. By approximately 6:30 p.m., the boats will pass through the Embarcadero area. The parade wraps up at the Ferry Landing on Coronado at around 7:30 p.m. A map for spectators can be seen on this website.

Those watching from the shore are encouraged to take public transit to their viewing destination, including the trolley. To get within a short walk of Harbor Drive, for instance, one can take the trolley’s Green Line to the Santa Fe Depot or the Orange or Blue Line to the American Plaza Stop.

Organizers say announcers’ areas will be located at the Maritime Museum on the Embarcadero and at the Coronado Ferry Landing. For spectators in those areas, announcers will provide a brief history and description of the boats as they come by.

Spectators can also enjoy the procession from the water on their boats, including at a prime viewing area near the 10th Street Terminal, right as the parade turns west toward Coronado.

Each year, the parade on the water draws about 100,000 spectators to the shores of San Diego Bay to enjoy the lights and elaborately decorated boats. Organizers say this year’s parade theme is “Christmas Around the World.” Participating vessels will incorporate this theme into their boat’s décor as they compete for a “Best in Theme” prize and other prizes before a panel of judges.

Boat owners who wish to participate in this year’s Parade of Lights can register online or in-person at the Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island Drive, or call (619) 224-2240 for more information. The entry fee is $50 per boat and covers both Dec. 13 and Dec. 20. Watercraft of all sizes are encouraged to participate.
 

Two parents face first-degree murder charges after their 8-month-old son died from numerous broken bones and head injuries at a Delaware hospital.

Delaware State Police arrested Doyle Hundley Jr., 37, and Casey Layton, 28, in their Harbeson home Thursday, more than two months after their son Aiden died at A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital.

Investigators had been to the couple’s Harbeson home before after a 911 call was made to report Aiden — then only 3 months old — was unresponsive and suffering a seizure. The child was eventually admitted to A.I. DuPont with multiple broken bones and a serious head injury, according to police.

Aiden died from his injuries in late September, after five months on life support, police said.

Police investigated the source of Aiden's injuries and said his parents, the boy’s sole caregivers, had no explanation.

Hundley and Layton face charges of first-degree murder, child endangerment and related offenses and were sent to county jail, unable to post $106,000 cash bail each.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Hundley and Layton had hired attorneys who could comment on the charges.

The couple's 2-year-old son, who didn’t appear to be harmed, was placed in the care of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families, according to police.

Eater San Diego shares the top stories of the week from San Diego’s food and drink scene, including a look at Tender Greens' fourth San Diego location, a visit from Hello Kitty and the best spots for holiday cocktails.

Tender Greens Puts Down Roots in Mission Valley
This week, Tender Greens opened the fourth local outpost of its casual farm-to-table eatery in Westfield Mission Valley. The popular concept intends to open more stores in the San Diego area; expect to see it expand to North County next.

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck Stops in San Diego
Get ready for a cute invasion. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, laden with Hello Kitty-themed goodies, from macarons and petit fours to T-shirts and mugs, will be parked at Westfield UTC on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

12 Places to Drink Holiday Cocktails
A chill in the air bringing cravings for hot toddies and drinks flavored with fall fruit and warm spices. Eater has the scoop on 12 local bars and restaurants where you can sip the holidays in a glass.

Liberty Station Adds More Coffee & Beer
Liberty Station's ongoing food and drink renaissance continues with the announcement of Moniker General, a new multi-use complex that will house a craft coffee bar, a satellite tasting room from Miramar's 32 North Brewing Company and local retail shops.

New Neighborhood Sports Bar for the Gaslamp
The long-dormant Nicky Rotten's space on 5th Avenue is being revamped as a new sports bar called 1919, which plans to offer comfort food, late night dining and weekend brunch when it reopens in early 2016.

A mother of four and her cousin are accused of trying to burn down a South Jersey home with her children inside before attempting kidnap one daughter amid a bitter custody dispute.

Lynette McGuire, 32, and Denise Coyle, 33, cousins who both live in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, are charged with aggravated arson, attempted kidnapping and burglary.

The women set fire to McGuire's parent's home on Lafayette Court in Washington Township, New Jersey on Thursday night, according to police.

Bryan McGuire, Lynette's father, said his daughter banged on his front door demanding to see her children, who range in age from 3 to 14 years old. He didn't oblige, however, telling NBC10 "she didn't look too good."

The grandparents were granted foster rights two days before the dispute.

"I open up my shade and I looked out and it was my daughter saying 'Get my kids out of the house. I want my kids out of the house,'" he recalled.

Frightened, the children hid in the basement. Within minutes, as Bryan called police, Lynette told him the house was on fire.

The grandparents and children were able to escape the house without harm, but police said in the commotion, Coyle grabbed the 3-year-old and put her in a car.

The women tried to drive away, but police were able to stop them about a mile away and place the duo under arrest. The child was returned to the grandparents without harm.

"If not for the timely response of the Washington Township Police Department and the Washington Township Fire Department, this incident may have ended quite differently,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton.

The McGuire's home suffered significant damage. They do not have insurance and are relying on the kindness of friends, neighbors and strangers.

A GoFundMe account has been set up. The Washington Township Fire Department said donations are being accepted at Bunker Hill Middle School and the Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center.

"It's not about the mother, I mean obviously that's a problem, but it's more you want these kids to have a good holiday and hopefully the grandparents can rebuild their home," neighbor Kevin Cox said.

This isn't the first tragedy the McGuire family has faced. Bryan and his wife, Jeanette, lost three of their children at very young ages.

Two decades ago, the couple lost a baby at birth. A few years later, their 5-year-old daughter died of a staph infection. In May 2014, their 14-year-old son died suddenly of a heart attack. Lynette is their only surviving child.

Lynette McGuire and Coyle are being held on $100,000 bail each. Additional charges are pending.

It wasn't immediately known whether either woman has hired an attorney.

Officials in Fox Lake, Illinois, released video footage Friday showing an altercation between police officers and an intoxicated man in jail in December 2014.

The four officers allegedly involved in the incident are accused of using excessive force with the man in custody, Jeffrey Grzonka, and violating the department's rules and regulations, Fox Lake Village Administrator Anne Marrin said in a press conference.

A second investigation into the case began in August when it was discovered two cameras had captured video of the incident. Three videos were from the incident were released Friday.

Grzonka, 36, was taken into police custody on Dec. 5, 2014, after officers responded to a call at 16 Lilac Avenue in Fox Lake, Marrin said. Grzonka, who was intoxicated at the time, spit at one officer and made threatening comments as they took him to his cell, she said.

While inside the cell, Grzonka allegedly attempted to cover the lens of the cell camera with clothing. When officers entered the cell, he continued to threaten them and disobey commands, Marrin said.

The videos show one officer shoving Grzonka into a concrete wall and placing his hands on his neck, according to Marrin. While Grzonka was being transferred to another cell, where he could not easily cover up the camera inside, he "made contact with a wall and a door," Marrin said.

"(Grzonka's) disorderly behavior, while inexcusable, did not authorize or justify these officers' conduct," Marrin said.

Prior to Grzonka's release the next day, he was offered medical attention and asked whether he wanted to file a complaint against the officers, and he declined both, Marrin said.

The village administrator said she was not made aware of the incident until March 2015 when former Police Chief Michael Behan told her about it and said one of the officers had been disciplined.

Marrin said the initial investigation was "not as thorough as it could have been."

"It certainly did not justify a failure to report or investigate this incident," she said.

The second investigation included a full review of video evidence, documentation of the incident and witness accounts from the former police chief and the officers involved.

Three officers have been disciplined and suspended for 10 to 30 days after accepting responsibility for their role in the incident, Marrin said. The last officer has refused to accept responsibility, and village officials have been unable to reach agreement on the officer's discipline.

The disciplined officers were identified as Det. Jason Baldowsky, Officer Shane Campion and Officer Eric Ewald.

Former Police Chief Behan resigned in August days after he was put on paid administrative leave during the investigation into the altercation. Lake County Sheriff's Office Deputy Chief Michael Keller was named as interim chief.

"Certainly the events of the last several months in the Fox Lake Police Department have reminded us that we can and should do a better job of fully being accountable to the public. ... I'm also proud to say that reforms at the Fox Lake Police Department are underway," Marrin said.

"Both this incident and the news of the embezzlement scheme concocted by Joe Gliniewicz are stark reminders of what can happen when officers are not held accountable," she said referring to the former lieutenant whose on-duty death made national headlines and was later ruled a "carefully staged suicide." 

Taliban fighters stormed a guesthouse of the Spanish embassy in the Afghan capital on Friday, sparking an armed standoff with security forces in the upscale area popular with expatriates.

As many as four attackers were holed up inside the building — presumed wearing suicide vests ready to detonate — and were exchanging fire with Afghan special forces units, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told NBC News.

Two guards were killed and seven others were injured after the militants detonated a car bomb at the gate and stormed the building in the Shirpour neighborhood, according to a senior police official.

In addition, two attackers were killed and one was injured during the clearing operation, Afghan Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayub Salangi tweeted later Friday.

After a devastating fire swept through a College Area home, the tenants who have been displaced say they believe their landlord started the fire.

San Diego Fire-Rescue investigators say the fire inside a home on Tipton Street was arson. The home is just off the campus of San Diego State University, north of Montezuma and west of El Cajon Boulevard.

The fire started inside the home described by officials as a “mini dorm” just after 6 p.m. Thursday. A mini dorm is a home with multiple rooms and added living spaces used for individual renters. San Diego has ordinances in place to enforce zoning laws near area colleges like SDSDU.

Loyda Navarro told NBC 7 she’s been living at the home for several months. She said her landlord was going to evict them from the house but they got an attorney to fight the eviction.

“He's been under some city code violations and was not supposed to be renting to us tenants,” Navarro said.

According to Navarro the violations include wiring, renting trailers on the property, salvation issues, plumbing issues, no smoke alarms and holes in the walls.

"The property was not adequate for us to all be living in," Navarro explained. "There's a lot of people who live here through impact programs who are disabled mentally...Some of them are senior citizens."

The single-family home sustained extensive damage in the fire. Approximately 11 renters live in the building. No one was injured.

Investigators say there was evidence the fire started in multiple places inside the house. The scene has been turned over to the police.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s office has opened up a criminal investigation into the conduct of San Diego Unified School Board Trustee Marne Foster, the district’s general counsel Andra M. Donovan confirmed.

The DA’s office served a search warrant to the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Thursday, seeking information about the embattled former board president. However, Donovan did not detail the topic of the criminal investigation.

Foster was already the center of a civil investigation, ordered by her fellow school board members, to determine if she orchestrated a $250,000 complaint filed against the SDUSD by her son’s father.

In a statement, Donovan explained she instructed the lawyers involved in that investigation to suspend their work and instead focus on aiding the DA’s requests. Read the full statement below.

Foster has previously apologized for holding a July benefit to raise money for her sons’ tuition. In attendance were people who presented possible conflicts of interest, such as contractors who work with the district and employees who may seek favors in return. Foster pledged to return the money.

In a third issue, administrators at the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), where Foster’s son attended class, have accused the board trustee of using her influence to remove the principal and punish a head counselor.

In December 2013, Foster called SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten, furious about a negative college evaluation written about her son by the school’s Head Counselor Kim Abagat. Marten said she instructed Foster, who was complaining as a parent and not a trustee, to take the issue up with the district’s head of counseling or the school’s principal.

The SCPA soon contracted an independent investigator to look into Foster’s allegations against Abagat. As a result, Abagat was suspended nine days without pay, and another counselor wrote a more positive evaluation for Foster’s son, according to Abagat.

At the end of that school year, Mitzi Lizarraga, the SCPA’s principal at the time, was reassigned to a new position in the district. Lizarraga said she is “positive” that she was reassigned because of Foster.

Marten said Foster had every right to raise her concerns as a parent, and the superintendent maintains pressure from Foster had no effect on her decision to move Lizarraga.

Last year, the father of Foster’s son, John Marsh, filed a $250,000 claim against the district, saying the negative evaluation caused his son to be rejected by multiple colleges. The claim says the family had a right to the money to recuperate costs of counseling for the student and the loss of tuition aid.

However, Marsh told NBC 7’s media partner the Voice of San Diego he did not write the claim – Foster did. He claims Foster presented him with a blank complaint form and told him to sign it. Foster has said she had no part in the claim.

NBC 7 reached out to her about the criminal investigation, but we have not heard back.

SDUSD Board Member Kevin Beiser told NBC 7 he hopes the investigation moves swiftly and there is an outcome soon so they can move on to the district's business.

Last week, the SDUSD board voted in Michael McQuary as the new board president to replace Foster. Beiser said the move was part of a routine, annual switch, not linked to the investigations.

Here is the full statement from SDUSD general counsel Andra Donovan:

“San Diego Unified School District was served with a warrant today by the District Attorney’s office seeking information relevant to a criminal investigation they are conducting into the conduct of Trustee Marne Foster. The district will cooperate fully with the District Attorney’s office as we are required to do by law.

“In late September, the Board of Education requested a civil investigation into the same matter. That investigation began on October 2, 2015 and is not yet complete. In light of the District Attorney’s investigation, I have directed the lawyers retained to conduct our civil investigation to suspend work and to focus their efforts on providing the District Attorney’s office with the information they have gathered to date. We believe it is incumbent upon San Diego Unified to cooperate fully with the District Attorney’s office and to avoid interfering with that investigation.”