A 74-year-old pedestrian was struck by a hit-and-run driver Wednesday in Lincoln park, police said.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), an unknown driver in a white sedan and his passenger were traveling southbound on 47th Street, near the 4700 block of Solala Avenue, at around 5:30 p.m. As the driver made a left turn, he crashed into the pedestrian.

Initially, both the driver and passenger, a man and a woman, got out of the sedan to comfort the victim. Police said the elderly pedestrian suffered a pelvis fracture, among other internal injuries.

After inspecting the wounded man, the driver got back into his vehicle and drove off in the southbound lane on 47th Street. Police said the woman who accompanied the driver also fled the scene, leaving on foot on Solola Avenue.

The hit-and-run suspects have not yet been identified or arrested. Police have not released a description of the suspects or further details on the suspects' vehicle.

The victim's condition is not considered life-threatening, according to police. An investigation by the SDPD Traffic Division is ongoing.

You could call the USA Women’s Water Polo Team the “California Water Polo Team,” as 16 of the 17 athletes currently on the senior national roster list their hometowns in the Golden State.

But only one hails from San Diego County -- a soft spoken 21-year-old Stanford student who grew up in La Jolla, attending The Bishop’s School.

“My older sister Sally played. She was goalie for Bishops, and ever since I was little, I looked at her and thought ‘Wow, I want to do that. I really want to be in the pool,’” said Gabby Stone.

Stone finds herself in the mix for a roster spot on Team USA, which has quite an Olympic reputation.

The Americans have medaled at every Summer Olympics since women’s water polo was added as an official sport in 2000.

Coming off the first-ever gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, the 2016 squad has several new faces and a lot of youth.

More than half the players still haven’t graduated from college.

“We want to be the best. We want to be standing on top of the podium in Rio. I mean this is what we dream about, but we also don’t talk about it that much,” said head coach Adam Krikorian.

Krikorian has the young team focused on the daily steps required to improve in the final weeks before the Olympic qualifying tournament in late March.

The final Olympic roster won’t be named until closer to the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

Stone, one of three goalies on the current team, prides herself on staying in the moment.

“It’s a really humbling experience to even be able to try out for this team. There is so much talent and a lot of different personalities to make a really great group together,” said Stone.

Still, dreaming is part of what got her this far, and now the dream is closer than ever.

“Ever since eighth grade, I remember the moment when I thought ‘I want to be an Olympian,’ and I’m going to do everything I can to make that dream come true," she said.
 

Rihanna fans will have to wait just a little bit longer to see the pop/hip-hop starlet in all her glory: The superstar singer has just announced a postponement for her San Diego show at SDSU's Viejas Arena -- originally scheduled for Friday, Feb. 26 -- to Monday, May 9 at the same location.

According to an official press release which cites "production delays" as the primary reason for the rescheduled dates, the San Diego show is one of eight shows to be affected. Shows in Phoenix, Arizona; San Jose, California; Dallas, Texas; Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Atlanta, Georgia were also rescheduled for later dates.

All tickets previously purchased for the Feb. 26 show will be honored at the new date.

The Barbados-raised singer hasn't performed in San Diego since April 2013, when she performed at Valley View Casino Center during her "Diamonds" tour. Needless to say, the demand for tickets to the upcoming "Anti World Tour" date has been through the roof. 

Coincidentally, Rihanna was set to perform at the 58th annual Grammy Awards, held on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2016 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. However, citing doctor's orders to rest her voice, she withdrew from the ceremony just hours before her scheduled performance. 

For the unfamiliar, Rihanna rose to fame on the strength of her debut single "Pon de Replay" off her 2005 album "Music of the Sun" -- when it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Since then, she's followed it with seven more multi-platinum albums, including her latest, "Anti," which was just released on Jan. 28, 2016 via the music-streaming service TIDAL. 

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders does better than former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton against Republican front-runners Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a hypothetical general election race, according to a new NBC News and Wall Street Journal poll. 

Two major airlines are adding more direct flights out of San Diego this summer.

Alaska Airlines announced this week that it is adding three direct flights daily from San Diego to San Jose, starting June 5.

In addition, Southwest Airlines reported that it’s adding nonstop service from San Diego to Milwaukee, starting in August; currently, there’s weekend-only service.

Southwest officials say they’re adding the direct flights in response to a growing demand for travel to the Midwest.

To debut the new direct service, the airline is featuring a sale on tickets for travel Aug. 7 to Nov. 3.

You can reserve one-way fares as low as $139 to Milwaukee if you book between today and Feb. 25.

Students and others at the University of Massachusetts Amherst were being told to shelter in place Thursday evening after authorities warned them of a "hostile armed person" reported on campus.

According to an alert sent out to students, the person, a male in a dark-colored shirt with a gold chain, showed a handgun. 

The gun was not reportedly fired, and the alert said the person was seen in Pierpont Hall. Police secured a perimeter around the hall, the school's website said.

A second person, wearing a grey sweatshirt, was also reported involved, according to a tweet from the school. 

Stay with necn as this story develops.

A Santee gymnastics coach accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage gymnast entered a not guilty plea to charges against him Thursday.

Patrick Wehrung, 25, attended his arraignment as a free man, out of custody on bond. However, he left in the custody of court officers after the judge declared him a flight risk and ordered he be held on a $80,000 bail.

The defendant denies the 12 charges against him, which include statutory rape, oral copulation and penetration by a foreign object.

San Diego police said he carried on a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl that spanned several months.

For more than four years, Wehrung worked as a boys’ gymnastics coach at Champion Gymnastics and Cheer in Santee, and the girl is a gymnast there. Investigators said Wehrung picked the girl up from the gym on several occasions and took her to La Jolla Shores.

Wehrung was fired from his position on Jan. 22 and arrested on Feb. 9 when the girl’s called investigators.

During the arraignment, the judge ordered Wehrung to stay away from the girl. The teen is expected to speak about their alleged relationship at his preliminary hearing, scheduled for April19.

Oceanside city council members voted 4-0 Wednesday to approve an ordinance to ban the display, sale, distribution, possession and use of synthetic drugs commonly known as “spice.”

The spice ban ordinance is the first of its kind in San Diego County.

If it is adopted at the next city council meeting, the ordinance will take effect 30 days after that date.

Oceanside Police Chief Frank McCoy says the ordinance is the product of several agencies coming forward and working together.

“I’m very glad the city council can see the importance of this. Hopefully it will be a trend for the rest of the county,” he said.

About two months ago, San Diego saw a spike in spice cases. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) Capt. Joe Amadar says there was a period where they received 25 to 27 calls a day reporting spice use on the streets of San Diego. There was one user who was only 13 years old, Amadar says.

Yessica Solano is a student at El Camino High School in Oceanside. She and dozens of other students came to the city council meeting because they believe synthetic drug is putting teens at risk.

“I’ve personally seen effects of this synthetic drug. I witnessed a close family go through that road and it’s not pretty,” she said.

Other areas in California that have a similar ordinance include Los Angeles, Redlands, Highland and Twentynine Palms.
 

Dozens of guests at Hotel La Jolla were awakened Thursday by a fire alarm but the cause of the emergency was water, not fire.

San Diego Fire-Rescue crews were called to the hotel on La Jolla Shores Drive at Torrey Pines Road at 3:30 a.m.

A pipe inside a storage room cabinet on the eighth floor burst, fire officials said.

The pressure from the gushing water was so strong that it flooded the room and tripped off the fire alarm.

Once firefighters found the pipe, they wrapped a fire hose around the break and drained all the water out of a window.

Hotel employees let guests back into their rooms just after 4:15 a.m.  

Refresh this page for updates on this breaking news story.

A San Diego man who posed as a modeling agent to take compromising photos of women and to extort sex acts from them will spend 11 years and four months in prison, according to prosecutors.

Maverick Mendez Rosales, 24, received his sentence Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in January to felony charges of oral copulation, sexual battery and human trafficking of a minor.

Prosecutors said Rosales ran a fictitious modeling agency for years.

"He used social media and created a fake modeling company and pretended to be different people over text messages and computers. They believe that this was a much larger company, and because of that, a lot of them feel comfortable meeting Mr. Rosales," said Deputy District Attorney Martin Doyle of the victims.

Rosales solicited the women using sites such as Craigslist and Facebook, Doyle said.

He had at least three young women pose for nude photos and later threatened to release the photos on the Internet or to the women’s families if they didn’t perform sex acts or pay him money, according to prosecutors. One of the women was extorted because of her nude photos for two years.

“They were all very much traumatized by it,” said Doyle. “It’s a violent crime under the penal code, and because of that, Mr. Rosales will have to do most of the 11 years, four months before he’s released.”

Doyle praised San Diego Police and the human trafficking task force for their work. He said the victims are satisfied with the sentence.

While none attended the sentencing, one of the women submitted a letter requesting he pay her back $2,000.

Rosales was initially charged with extortion, two counts of oral copulation by duress, one count of rape by duress and sexual battery, to which he pleaded not guilty. However, some of those charges were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea in the plea deal.
 

Emergency crews surrounded Naval Base San Diego Thursday after a bomb threat was phoned in specifically naming one of the buildings on base.

Brian O’Rourke, spokesperson for Navy Region Southwest, said the phone call threatened building 36.

At around 9:15 a.m., Naval Base San Diego posted a message to its Facebook page saying the area had been secured and emergency personnel were on the scene. The base was operating as normal. Crews had set up a perimeter around the base, and personnel were advised to remain clear of the perimeter located west of Kalbfus Street between Pier 3 and Pier 5.

O’Rourke said the base was not on lockdown. However, people coming onto the base might experience some backup at the gates as security guards screen those who are entering. Anyone heading to building 36 will be redirected for now as the investigation continues.

Everything else was business as usual, he added.

By 11:35 a.m., O'Rourke confirmed officials had finished sweeping building 36 and the surrounding areas on base and nothing suspicious was found. Crews were clearing.

This is the second threat at Naval Base San Diego in two days. On Wednesday, a threatening, hand-written note sparked an investigation and the evacuation of the pier at 32nd Street and Harbor Drive. In that case, the pier and surrounding areas were swept by officials and nothing suspicious was discovered. Eventually, the area was cleared.
 

Bernie Sanders has cut Hillary Clinton's national polling lead in half after the results of the first two Democratic nominating contests, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

Still, Clinton holds a double-digit advantage over Sanders, with the next race taking place in Nevada on Saturday.  

Fifty-three percent of Democratic primary voters say they back the former secretary of state, while 42 percent of them support the Vermont senator. 

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against a San Diego man accused in the mysterious slayings of three victims that began with a shooting on Christmas Eve 2013 in the parking lot of Westfield Mission Valley mall.

Carlo Mercado, 30, appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty in the killings of brothers Salvatore “Sal” Belvedere, 22, and Gianni Belvedere, 24, and Gianni’s fiancée, Ilona Flint, 22.

Mercado, staring straight ahead, appeared somber and was soft-spoken in court, only replying “yes” and “yes sir” when a judge spoke to him. He’s slated to appear in court once again on Mar. 17 for a status conference.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Erickson said the District Attorney’s office will seek the death penalty in this case, which has been many twists and turns over the past two years.

Erickson said it does not appear there was any connection whatsoever between Mercado and the victims, and said the slayings appear random, or perhaps the result of a “road rage” incident.

He said it does not appear the killings were a hit, as has been speculated with this case in the past.

“There are no facts that would support anything that indicates that this was some sort of professional hit,” he added.

Still, the motive for the triple killings remains shrouded in mystery.

“It appears to be a chance, road rage-type incident where Mr. Mercado shot one of the victims and then came back and shot the other two,” Erickson explained. “It appears to be a random act that was taken upon these people, for no reason whatsoever.”

Erickson said that, because this is a death penalty case, Mercado’s trial may take longer to get moving. He said a trial date has not yet been set, but said his goal is to get the case tried within this year.

Mercado’s defense attorney, Gary Gibson, said he is disappointed with the DA’s decision to pursue the death penalty in this case given his client's history of mental health concerns.

Gibson said Mercado is a “deeply damaged individual with significant mental health issues." Up until this case, Gibsons said Mercado had lived a “blameless life” and had been mentally healthy.

Erickson argued that Mercado’s mental health issues are directly linked to this case and include depression “based on his situation."

Mercado’s attorney said this case will be difficult to prove for prosecutors at trial.

“I think that they’re struggling for a motive in this case. There is no connection between the victims in this case, no connection between Mr. Mercado and the victims,” Gibson said.

“It appears the homicides occurred at two completely separate times – possibly in two separate places – so I think that it’s going to be difficult to put all of the pieces of this case together.”

On Dec. 24, 2013, Flint and Sal were found critically shot inside their car parked outside a Macy’s department store at Westfield Mission Valley mall in San Diego’s Mission Valley area. Flint, who called 911 to report the shooting and their location, died at the scene. Sal was hospitalized and died a few days later.

Flint’s fiancé and Sal’s brother, Gianni, went missing around the same time of the Christmas Eve killings. On Jan. 17, 2014, police found Gianni’s badly decomposed body stuffed into the trunk of his own car parked at a shopping center in Riverside, California, more than 100 miles away from San Diego. He, too, had been shot to death.

For six months, police reported no breaks in the baffling triple homicide case.

On June 20, 2014, the San Diego Police Department confirmed officers had arrested Mercado as the suspect in the three slayings. Mercado pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.

At a pretrial in early September 2014, DNA evidence emerged linking Mercado to Gianni’s car and the bloody Riverside crime scene, while ballistics evidence linked a gun registered in Mercado’s name to the deadly shootings of Flint, Sal and Gianni. Prosecutors also presented evidence found on Mercado's phone and computers.

Also in early September 2014, search warrants obtained by NBC 7 revealed the exhaustive investigation into the triple homicide case, but no clear motive for the killings.

In December 2014 the families of the three victims filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Westfield, LLC, accusing the Mission Valley mall of negligence in the deaths of Flint and the Belvedere brothers, claiming the mall failed to provide sufficient lighting and monitoring security cameras in the area to keep patrons safe. That lawsuit also listed Mercado as a defendant, accusing him of malice and oppression in the killings.

On Nov. 3, 2014, a San Diego judge ruled Mercado was not competent to stand trial in the triple killings, and ordered he be treated at Patton State Hospital for three years until he was found competent to assist in his own defense.

That ruling came after reports submitted by two psychiatrists and one psychologist diagnosed Mercado as schizophrenic, psychotic and suffering from catatonic depression, Mercado’s attorney said at the time.

In September 2015, Mercado was returned to San Diego Central Jail after evaluators from Patton State Hospital found him competent to stand trial. The defense then requested a competency trial for Mercado.

On Dec. 14, 2015, a judge ruled Mercado was competent to stand trial.

Six young suspects have been arrested in connection with a series of violent home invasions in San Diego’s North County, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) announced Thursday.

Investigators said the following suspects are now in custody: Victor Harvey, 19; Thomas Smith, 24; Stephen Gomez, 20; Aaron Rico, 20; Robin Shawvner, 20. An unidentified 17-year-old suspect has also been arrested. A seventh young man, age 18, was detained for a parole violation, questioned and released.

Police said the suspects -- five males and one female -- are all residents of San Diego County, four of whom are documented gang members. At least two suspects have criminal records.

According to investigators, the series of incidents in the North County involved several people accessing homes through a side door, tying up residents and stealing their valuables. The crimes took place between Jan. 31 and Feb. 11, between midnight and 5 a.m.

Investigators called the suspects “opportunists,” as each crime was committed through an unlocked door.

The suspects are linked to at least four home invasion robberies, including a Jan. 31 case on Passerine Way in Sorrento Valley, a Feb. 5 case on Aliento Court in Rancho Bernardo and two cases on Feb. 11 in Carmel Mountain – one on Spring Meadow Lane and one on Breezeway Place. A home invasion robbery in Scripps Ranch is also being investigated, and police are trying to determine if that case is also linked to the series.

SDPD officials held a news conference at noon Thursday to discuss the major break in this case.

SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman said the group of suspects conspired to commit the crimes. Zimmerman said investigators foresee additional charges for the suspects, who may also be responsible for a few other crimes and burglaries in the area.

Officials said detectives looked at all leads – big and small – in their search for the suspects. Search warrants were served Wednesday night. Investigators believe the "main players” in this crime spree are in custody, but there may be additional arrests.

On Wednesday night, police detained several people at a Best Western hotel in the Miramar area, but did not confirm, at that point, whether the detainees were are involved in the string of home invasion robberies. Witnesses told NBC 7 they saw at least three people, two females and one male, taken away after police stormed a hotel room.

At Thursday's news conference, police confirmed some of the suspects were, in fact, arrested at that hotel in Miramar.

Officials said the suspects may have been driving a dark gray or silver, newer model sedan or a white, newer model sedan with a sunroof. Police confirmed two vehicles have been impounded in connection with the crimes and are currently being processed for evidence.

Jail booking records indicate most of the suspects are set to appear in court Friday. Charges vary by suspect and range from robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime, to kidnapping for ransom.

One suspect, police said, is also facing a sexual assault charge in one of the home invasion robberies, but further details on that matter were not released Thursday.

SDPD detectives have recovered some of the items stolen in the home invasion robberies, and police are now working to get in touch with the victims so they can identify and claim their belongings.

During the search of the suspects, police also recovered two replica firearms believed to have been used in the crimes.

“[It was] phenomenal police work by these detectives led to suspects being identified, located and arrested,” an official added at the news conference.

SDPD’s Northeastern Division Capt. Dawn Summers said she was extremely proud of her detectives in this case and how hard they worked to hone in on the suspects.

“We got them,” said Summers, beaming.

Thursday was Summers’ last day at work, as she’s retiring after nearly 33 years on the force.

Councilman Mark Kersey said this break in the case was a great way for Summers to end her long career and a “fitting tribute” for all she’s done for San Diego.

“This is a really, really good day for the city,” said Kersey, adding that the crimes have caused a lot
of grief and concern among his constituents.

Kersey also touted the “good, old-fashioned police work” that led to the arrests, but said this case should serve as a warning for residents to keep their homes secure.

”This is not the 1950s – you need to keep your doors locked at night,” said Kersey.

U.S. fighter jets launched airstrikes against an ISIS compound in Libya overnight as they targeted a terrorist linked to tourist massacres in Tunisian, American military officials said.

Dozens of people were killed in the bombing raid on the coastal city of Sabratha, local officials and activists said.  

A senior U.S. official told NBC News the airstrike likely killed Tunisian ISIS operative Noureddine Chouchane.

Owners of unmanned aircraft systems have until Friday evening to register their drones with the Federal Aviation Administration or face hefty fines if they fly outdoors.

The federal agency began the registration program last year on Dec. 21. The registry will close at 10:59 p.m. CT on Feb. 19. According to the FAA, drone operators who don’t register their devices could face civil penalties of up to $27,500 and criminal penalties of up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to three years. 

Registration applies to drones weighing between .55 and 55 pounds that were purchased before Dec. 21, 2015. Aircrafts weighing more than 55 pounds cannot use the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) registry and must register using the Aircraft Registry process.

Drones that were bought after the Dec. 21 date should be registered before their first flight outdoors. Registration costs $5 and can be completed online here. The fee will be waived for 30 days after the law goes into effect.

FAA Administrator Micheal Huerta said more than 325,000 people have registered their drones as of Feb. 8, the latest figures reported by the federal agency. That number surpasses the 320,000 piloted aircraft registered with the FAA.

The surging popularity of remote-controlled aircraft, which are flooding airspace already packed with passenger planes, have raised concerns over midair collisions. But some aviation experts doubt the new rule will help increase safety for unmanned aircraft.

"In my opinion, the bottom line of registering these drones is almost useless," said aviation consultant Denny Kelly. "It's a start and a step in the right direction."

HobbyTown USA's Tony White, who has been flying UAVs for decades said he thinks FAA registration is the first step toward licensing and certification, even for recreational drone users.

"We are in the period of transition," he said. "This is just like when airplanes were brand new."    

Donald Trump has touted on the campaign trail his opposition to the war in Iraq.

But, in a 2002 interview with Howard Stern the Republican frontrunner said he supported the invasion.

"Yeah, I guess so," Trump told Stern when asked directly. "I wish the first time it was done correctly."

Audio from the interview was unearthed by Buzzfeed News and posted online Thursday hours before Trump took the stage for a CNN town hall. The real-estate mogul said "By the time the war started, I was against the war."

Trump continued Friday to decry Bush's decision to enter Iraq, telling "Today's" Matt Lauer it "maybe the worst decision every made by the United States."

Asked again about his position in 2002, Trump said: "I wasn't a politician. Nobody really cared about my opinion. That was just a question asked of me as a civilian. I was an entrepreneur."

A former high school baseball player from New Jersey is suing his previous coach and school district for allegedly creating a culture of bullying. It comes after other former students say they tried to get the administration's attention about the matter. 

David DeFranco, who graduated from Columbia High School last June, filed his suit last week against his former school, baseball coaches and the South Orange-Maplewood school district.

Other former players and parents say they have long been complaining about coach Joe Fischetti. Grainy video shown to NBC 4 New York Thursday shows the coach speaking aggressively to his team last year: "Don't question about why I do what I do, that's horse----."

Randy Nathan, whose son, Alex, is a former player, said the administration investigated Fischetti and found six instances when Alex was bullied or harassed. It's not clear what, if any, consqeuences Fischetti faced after the probe, as officials cited a private personnel matter. 

Nathan said Alex started as a junior, but was cut as a senior when his father spoke up for others making bullying claims. The effects on his son have been noticeable.

"He's an angry kid; it's taking a long time. He, even to this day, he has some challenges from his transition as a freshman in college," said Nathan. "It's very sad."

DeFranco's lawsuit makes similar claims about Fischetti. It says he was cut from the baseball team his senior season because he complained about a bullying problem the previous year.

He was only allowed back on the team after he suggested to school officials he was cut for this reason, and that coaches made sexist, racist and demeaning comments to the baseball team players, the suit states. Four coaches even allegedly cornered DeFranco to interrogate him about his complaints. 

School and district officials didn't step in, despite his and other players' complaints, the lawsuit adds. 

The problem, DeFranco alleges, continued this year, evidenced by a sign posted in the school's locker room that singles out "losers" who "complain." 

"It's ridiculous how frequently the board was on notice and did nothing," Jeffrey Youngman, an attorney representing DeFranco, told NJ.com.

The allegations of bullying came to a head at a school board meeting last year. But the coach, who won a championship last year, had his defenders at the same meeting. 

"They were my teachers on the baseball field. They helped me through experience on the baseball field and off the baseball field," one former student said.

While Nathan has been frustrated by the more-than-yearlong investigation, the school system has athletic reforms on next Monday's agenda. Officials say they've since taken steps to fully comply with a 2011 law passed in order to curtail harassment and bullying.

"Over the last few months, the Board has drafted several policy changes that impact our athletic programs including on Athletic Department and Coaches, Sportsmanship, Athletic Code of Conduct, and Volunteer Athletic Coaches," district spokeswoman Suzanne Turner said.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of all of our students — whether in the classroom, or on the field of play — is our highest priority," she added.

But Nathan is not convinced.

"They don't care about respect, they don't care about character," he said. "What they care about is winning, and becacuse they think they know how to win, they're going to do whatever they can to destroy kids." 

The coach and his staff declined to speak to NBC 4 New York, and a school spokesman said Fischetti's status this year is a personnel matter. 

U.S. and Russian military officials held talks in Geneva Friday aimed at securing a cease-fire in Syria, but the United Nations has warned it would be "extremely difficult" to monitor any deal, NBC News reported.

International powers pledged seven days ago to try to bring about a "cessation of hostilities" in Syria's five-year civil war this week, but aside from an increase in aid convoys there has been little sign of progress on the ground.

It was hoped that a temporary truce would begin by Friday, allowing the resumption of diplomatic talks in Geneva by Feb. 25. But a major practical complication is that the cease-fire would not apply to U.N.-designated terror groups including ISIS or the al-Nusra Front.

U.S. stock index futures indicated a lower open on Friday as low oil prices weighed, CNBC reported.

U.S. crude oil futures for March delivery traded 3.5 percent lower below $30 a barrel as of 8:57 a.m. ET. Dow futures were down by about 100 points, while the S&P dropped almost 11 point. NASDAQ futures were also on the decline, dropping 26 points at the opening bell.

The U.S. dollar held mildly higher against major currencies, with the euro at $1.107 and the yen at 113.00 yen against the greenback.

In Europe, the pan-European Stoxx 600 Index was down 1 percent on Friday. The European Union is currently holding crunch talks in Brussels that could determine whether the U.K. stays or leaves the 28 country body.