Construction recently got underway on Ouchi Courtyard, a $20.4 million affordable-housing community with ground-floor retail in San Diego’s Encanto neighborhood.

A statement from Civic San Diego, which oversees projects in the city’s southeastern neighborhoods, said the mixed-use project at 5003 Imperial Ave. in Lincoln Park includes 45 apartments, seven of which will be set aside as supportive housing for residents with developmental disabilities.

The complex will also have community spaces and retailers, with tenants yet to be announced.

The project is being developed and planned by entities including Carlsbad-based Chelsea Investment Corp. and Southern California Housing Collaborative, and was designed by Hedenkamp Architecture & Planning. Project funding was provided in part through a $5.4 million loan from Civic San Diego, along with tax credit equity and developer-provided funding.

Officials said the project aligns with a community vision plan established in 2005 to revitalize Encanto’s Imperial Avenue corridor. Construction is scheduled to be completed in May 2017.

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A homeless 17-year-old has been arrested and will be charged with murder in the slaying of 18-year-old University of Texas freshman Haruka Weiser, according to police.

Police detained Meechaiel Criner on a tampering charge after receiving tips from an unidentified female and the Austin Fire Department that Criner had started a trash fire sometime Monday, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said Friday morning.

Criner has been booked into the Travis County Jail and will be formally charged with murder, a first-degree felony, on Friday afternoon, Acevedo said. He has no known connection to the university and police "don't have a clue what the motive is."

"We are very certain that the subject we have in custody... is responsible for the death of this beautiful young woman," Acevedo said Friday.

Wesier, of Portland, Oregon, was a "beloved" first-year dance and theater student, according to school officials. She was reported missing by her roommates Monday morning after she didn't return home Sunday. Her body was found in a creek Tuesday near the football stadium.

UT President Gregory L. Fenves said Weiser was "liked and admired by her classmates and respected by professors for her intelligence and spirit."

The Travis County medical examiner ruled Weiser's death a homicide, but Austin police have not revealed details of the attack, citing an ongoing investigation.

Austin police released surveillance video Thursday afternoon showing a person of interest in the crime. After the footage was shared publicly, members of the Austin Fire Department and a female community member recognized the man as having started a trash fire Monday night. They contacted authorities to report the connection, police said.

Police said Friday some of the items in the trash fire appear to have belonged to Weiser.

After the fire, Criner was taken to a homeless shelter and the women's bike he was riding was held for safe keeping by the fire department. Police previously said the person of interest was riding a pink or purple bike. Criner was also in possession of a small blue duffel bag believed to be Weiser's, police said.

Police expect to file additional charges against Criner as the investigation continues, according to Acevedo. Once Criner's mug shot is released Friday afternoon, Acevedo hopes the public can help shed some light on Criner's recent past and criminal history.

"Whoever she touched, it was a blessing, and I’m just glad and thankful that we’re going to bring justice to that family and that we’re going to restore the sense of safety that this campus and this community has always enjoyed," Acevedo said.

Acevedo said Weiser's mother asked him for a favor Friday morning — to thank those who worked on the investigation into her daughter's death — and to "also please tell them to take care of themselves. And go home and hug your children, not once, but twice."

According to Acevedo, Austin is the second-safest large city in the U.S. and — prior to Weiser's death — the campus had not seen a homicide since 1966. Nonetheless, Acevedo and UT Police Chief David Carter urged students to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings.

"We believe this is a safe campus however this tragedy has us redoubling our efforts," said Carter, adding that police have stepped up patrols in the wake of Weiser's slaying. "We need to address threats wherever they might be found."

Fenves, the university president, said UT "will continue to stand with the family" of Weiser and seeks to "make her death an occasion to look at the safety of this community and others, and to find some meaning behind an otherwise meaningless and senseless death."

A $15,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest. It's not clear if the reward has been granted.

NBC's Ari Mason contributed to this report.

A freelance photographer with ties to San Diego has been released by the Syrian government after four years, the State Department said Friday. 

U.S. officials said Kevin Patrick Dawes, 33, was turned over to authorities from Russia, which has been backing the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the civil war that now is in its sixth year. 

The U.S. officials said Dawes was abducted in 2012.

“We are appreciative of efforts on the part of Russia, the Russian government, that it took on behalf of this US citizen in Syria,” said U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner.

The U.S. continues to work through Czech officials in Syria to get information on the welfare and whereabouts of Austin Tice and other U.S. citizens missing and detained in Syria, according to State Department spokesman John Kirby.

The Czech embassy represents U.S. diplomatic interests in Syria.

Kirby declined to give further details on the release. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

Tice, of Houston, Texas, disappeared in August 2012 while covering Syria's civil war. A video released a month later showed the journalist blindfolded and held by armed men, saying "Oh, Jesus." He had not been heard from since then. 

The Washington Post first reported the release of Dawes and quoted FBI officials as saying that he was taken after crossing into Syria from Turkey. The Post said Dawes recently was permitted to call his family and receive packages.

His girlfriend said "yes," but the California Highway Patrol said "no" to a rock climber whose romantic gesture turned into an emergency rescue operation.

Michael Banks, of Fresno, was rescued Thursday morning by a CHP helicopter crew during a romantic, but reckless, marriage proposal on Morro Rock — a nearly 600-foot rock just off Morro Bay Harbor on the Central California coast. Banks was airlifted from the steep rock after a witness heard his calls for help from about 90 feet above the ocean.

It was a picturesque setting for the marriage proposal, which Banks apparently planned to do by connecting with his girlfriend using FaceTime, but it is illegal to climb Morro Rock.

"It kills people," Morro Bay Fire Chief Steve Knuckles told NBC affiliate KSBY. "I have been on at least four calls where people have died on the rock."

Banks was not injured. San Luis Obispo County jail records indicate he was arrested on suspicion of drug possession and being under the influence. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

He will likely face a fine and pay for the cost of the rescue, Knuckles said. Several agencies responded, including CalFire, Harbor Patrol, the Coast Guard and CHP.

Banks reportedly told rescuers his girlfriends said "yes" to his love-on-the-rock proposal.

Police arrested a Long Island woman for allegedly stalking a 4-year-old boy whom she used to baby-sit.

Casey Evans, 29, baby-sat the Sayville boy from August to November of last year, but was fired by his parents, authorities said.

Months later, on March 30, she tried to sign the boy out of school without his parents' permission, according to police. 

Later that day, she entered the family’s home illegally to leave a gift for the child, police said.

Evans was arrested over the weekend on stalking and trespassing charges. She was arraigned in Central Islip on Sunday.

Attorney information for Evans wasn't immediately available.

In the heat of the presidential race, climate change has mostly received a cold shoulder from candidates. 

While as much as 70 percent of Americans believe climate change is real and that humans are contributing to it, according to a Monmouth University poll from January, the issue of global warming has rarely come up in stump speeches or during debates, especially on the Republican side. 

NBC has reached out to all the campaigns for information on their positions but has not heard back. The candidates, however, have outlined their positions in interviews and town hall events. Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have listed their plans for tackling the crisis on campaign websites. 

Clinton and Sanders have pledged to continue President Obama’s climate agenda if elected to office, but the Republican candidates are far from on board. 

Here’s a rundown of what each presidential candidate thinks of climate change:

Bernie Sanders

Sanders is one of the most vocal of all presidential candidates on climate change. On his campaign site, the senior Vermont senator outlines a complete policy platform on reducing carbon emissions, decreasing fossil fuel subsidies and revamping environmental policies regarding public health.

He frequently discusses “big oil companies” on the campaign trail and argues their profits are costing the public.

During a February rally in Minnesota, Sanders discussed how, unlike his Republican counterparts, he will “not reject science.”

“Climate change is real, climate change is caused by human activity, and climate change is already doing devastating harm in our country and all over the world,” Sanders said.

In an interview with the LA Times' editorial board, Sanders reiterated his comprehensive policy on global warming.  

"It is absolutely an international crisis, and the United States can’t do it alone," he said. "But we can lead the world by example and by influence. I happen to believe, I was asked in one debate, what’s the major foreign policy crisis that we face — is it North Korea? And I said, climate change... We have got to be extremely aggressive in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel. I have comprehensive legislation that does that. It is the most comprehensive anti-climate change legislation in the history of the United States Senate. It calls for, among other things, a tax on carbon."

Hillary Clinton

Clinton also uses her campaign website to outline her environmental policy. Her goals include increasing the use of solar panels in the United States and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

At the Univision Democratic Presidential Debate, Clinton emphasized the importance of action and preventive measures on global warming.

“We do have to invest in resilience and mitigation while we are trying to make up for the fact that this is clearly man-made and man-aggregated,” she said.

At a rally in Iowa, Clinton responded to the views of her Republican counterparts — who are skeptical of the science behind climate change — urging them to "go talk to a scientist." She also noted her view that implementing environmental plans for renewable energy would benefit the economy.

"There are millions of new jobs and businesses in moving from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy," she said. 

Clinton supports Obama’s efforts to strengthen environmental regulation and sees it essential for Americans to recognize the severity of climate change, according to MSNBC.

“We have to actually convince more Americans that this is in their interest,” she said to Annie Karni of Politico. “You know, whatever it takes. I happen to think it’s a real threat. I think the science is pretty clear.”

Donald Trump

The GOP front-runner has been asked questions on global warming in various interviews, but does not include climate change on his campaign's list of positions.

In tweets between 2012 and early 2015, he called climate change a “con job,” a “canard,” a “hoax,” “bulls---,” and a concept “created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive," according to MSNBC. 

Once he announced his candidacy, Trump somewhat softened his language. In September, he told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in a phone interview that global warming may exist, but is not the biggest issue the U.S. faces.

“I consider climate change to be not one of our big problems,” Trump said at the time. 

In another “Morning Joe” appearance in November 2015, Trump reiterated his view, but also noted the importance of protecting the environment.

“I want to make sure we have clean air and we have clean water,” he said. “That’s what my thing on climate change is. We want to have clean air to breathe and we want to have beautiful clean water. That’s very important to me.”

Most recently, however, in an interview with the Washington Post editorial board, Trump was asked point-blank whether he believed climate change existed. 

"I think there’s a change in weather. I am not a great believer in man-made climate change," he answered in March. "I’m not a great believer. There is certainly a change in weather that goes — if you look, they had global cooling in the 1920s and now they have global warming, although now they don’t know if they have global warming. They call it all sorts of different things; now they’re using 'extreme weather' I guess more than any other phrase. I am not — I know it hurts me with this room, and I know it’s probably a killer with this room — but I am not a believer. Perhaps there’s a minor effect, but I’m not a big believer in man-made climate change."

Ted Cruz

Texas Sen. Cruz has been consistently at odds with widely accepted beliefs that global warming is real. A committee member of the Senate Science Subcommittee, the GOP candidate held a climate science hearing in December to discuss global warming with experts. In his opening statement, the senator said there is strong data and evidence that indicates global warming is not as bad as what “global alarmists” say it is.

“Facts matter, science matters, data matters,” Cruz said. “According to the satellite data, there has been no significant global warming for the past 18 years. The global warming alarmists don’t like these data.”

At a New Hampshire speech in January, Cruz expressed his skepticism again, saying, “Climate change is the perfect pseudo-scientific theory, because it can never ever be disproven.”

Cruz is the only candidate who considers himself a full-fledged skeptic, believing that data showing proof of climate change and global warming is in fact false. Cruz recognizes it’s good to be environmentally friendly but believes change should come from the private sector, not the government.

John Kasich

According to public statements he's made, Ohio Gov. John Kasich believes humans do play a role in the changing climate. But he is against certain environmental policy changes, like alternative energy sources that may cost more or replace coal-based jobs.

At the CNN GOP debate in March, Kasich was asked about his views on environmental policy and climate change. He said it is important to use and develop efficient forms of energy, like wind and solar, but at the same time maintain jobs.

“We want all the sources of energy,” he said. “We want to dig coal but we want to clean it when we burn it.”

At an Iowa town hall in October, Kasich affirmed his view that climate change does exist. But, like Trump, Kasich said he does not see global warming as priority.

“I just don’t know enough about it,” Kasich said. “I don’t know what’s scientifically proven. I think there are things we can do to protect the environment. We should. But we shouldn’t worship the environment.”

An inmate who escaped from a minimum-security facility in Southern California earlier this week has been captured north of San Diego County, officials confirmed.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDRC) said escaped inmate Bobby Gleason, 37, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon in Vista – a community about 42 miles north of downtown San Diego. Further details of his arrest were not released. 

According to the CDRC, Gleason disappeared from the Ventura Conservation Camp #46 in Camarillo, California, Wednesday. Staffers discovered he was missing around 11:30 p.m. that night. Staffers searched the inmate dormitory area, surrounding buildings and the camp perimeter for Gleason, but he was nowhere to be found.

They alerted local law enforcement agencies of the inmate’s escape, the CDRC said, and efforts were launched to find and apprehend Gleason. He was described as a white male, 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, with a shaved head, blue eyes and a mustache and goatee. He was last seen wearing grey sweats/shorts and a white T-shirt. He was also described as having multiple tattoos on his neck, hands, arms, legs and torso.

Officials said Gleason was committed to CDRC to serve nine years for crimes in San Diego County, including burglary as a second-time offender. Before his escape, he was scheduled to be released on Aug. 6, 2019.

According to the CDRC, the Ventura Camp facility was originally built in 1989 to house approximately 110 co-ed wards. The camp closed in December 2012, but reopened two years later housing only male inmates. The facility is maintained by both the CDRC and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire).

All inmates at Ventura Camp are required to work and are paid for their labor, earning between $1.45 and $2.56 per day, depending on their skill level. Skilled inmates include mechanics, clerks, cooks, plumbers, welders, carpenters and electricians. Inmates can also work as fire crew, if they complete training at the Sierra Conservation Center led by both the CDRC and CAL Fire personnel. Inmates who work as part of the fire crew can earn up to $1 per hour.

Money earned by the inmates at the camp is placed into a trust account for their use, according to the CDRC. Inmates can use their money to buy items at the camp canteen, send it home to their family or save it until they’re released to parole.

Ventura Conservation Camp is located at 2800 Wright Road in Camarillo, which is about 154 miles north of Vista where Gleason was arrested.

Officials said that of all offenders who have escaped since 1977 from a CDRC adult institution, camp or community-based program, 98.7 percent have ultimately been apprehended.

School officials in Princeton, New Jersey, are meeting with high school students and their parents after images of teens playing a version of beer pong apparently named "Jews vs. Nazis" surfaced online.

A photo began circulating on social networks Wednesday night showing the teens pouring what appears to be light beer into plastic cups arranged in the form of a swastika and the Star of David.

Rules of the drinking game, according to the blog Planet Princeton, apparently included a member of the "Jewish" team being able to hide a cup from play, — called an "Anne Frank" — and a "Nazi" being allowed to force an opponent to sit out — called "Auschwitz," the name of the Nazi concentration camp built in Poland during World War II.

Princeton Schools Superintendent Steve Cochrane said in a statement to NBC10 he's deeply upset by the anti-Semitic overtones and underage drinking.

"An incident such as this one, forces us to take a hard look at our efforts in educating our children in the values that may be most important to their success in life," the statement read, in part.

Cochrane said these issues are not new in any school district and that school staff is talking with the students involved in the game and their parents.

"I am hopeful that as school district we can join with parents, with other agencies in our community, and with students themselves to elevate our efforts to prepare our children to be people of character," Cochrane said.

A natural gas blowout in the Los Angeles area could lead to summer blackouts in San Diego. 

Parts of Southern California might face 14 days of electrical power disruptions, leaders from key energy agencies said Tuesday.

The dramatic pictures of the leak and evacuation of Porter Ranch began in October and left the huge Aliso Canyon gas storage field down to a fifth of its normal capacity of fuel. 

Officials say it could be months before the storage facility is back online. So why should we care? The impact of that leak could make its way to the light switch in your house. 

The gas that was lost in those leaks helps supply 17 different power plants in the LA area.

The chairman of the California Energy Commission said Tuesday that a partial shutdown could lead to power cuts for up to 14 days as demand skyrockets during the heat of summer.

If they feel the pinch, we could also feel it here in San Diego. 

"It could ultimately trick down to us," said Allison Torres, spokesperson for San Diego Gas & Electric. 

"A lot of electric generation is fueled by natural gas," said Torres."If we’re going to have some of those really hot days, that’s going to affect the power flow." 

At this point, SDG&E is not sure if the blackouts will reach their customers. But when the grid is squeezed by a lack of natural gas, the impact could be widespread.

"As Los Angeles goes, we go," said Michael Shames, "If they have outages, it’s likely we’re going to have some."

Shames is a utility company watchdog and says this leak is a lesson to us all.

"The Southern California electric grid is interconnected," said Shames. "We’re dependent upon Los Angeles and to some extent Los Angeles is dependent on San Diego."

At this point SDG&E can't say for sure when and if a natural gas shortage will disrupt our local power supply.

But it seems likely hot weather or any high demand could quickly exceed our power supply.

"We are going to have days during the summer where we may have blackouts or brownouts and people need to be ready for the fact that the electric supply will be unreliable," Shames said.

That means consumers need to think about a back-up plan, from generators to batteries.

Recommendations include "strong energy conservation programs," such as the state's Flex Alert campaign, which warns residents and businesses to reduce energy consumption on high-demand days.

Customers can sign up for alerts, issued by the California Independent System Operator.

It is estimated the leak, active from Oct. 23 to Feb. 18, released as much as 100,000 tons of methane, the primary constituent of natural gas, and an undetermined amount of different hydrocarbons, sulfur compounds, and other contaminants. 

Officers pursued a reckless driver of a convertible Mustang connected with a home burglary in a bizarre top-down chase on Southern California streets and freeways Thursday afternoon.

The blue Ford Mustang with a black convertible top was driving at high speeds and was initially reported in the Cerritos area. At least two people were in the car. Deputies identified them Thursday night as Isaiah Young, 19, the passenger, and Herschel Reynolds, 20, the driver.

When the men finally pulled over in South LA, ending the chase, they were swarmed by crowds with cellphone cameras. Police said they felt there was no rush to take the men into custody.

"They did not appear that they were running anywhere," said LAPD Capt. Andy Neiman, a department spokesman. "For law enforcement to rush in would have exacerbated that situation."

Neighbors said they know why the men stopped at that location.

"Why they come on this street?" said Darriel Harris, a neighbor. "They stay on this street. Come home to his momma. Both of them did."

Concern for the burglary suspects' safety is why some said they came outside.

"I asked them when police got here, do not resist," said Narvie Lee Richmond, a neighbor. "Do not cause any problems. Allow them to arrest them. Take them to the station. Let the legal system work out ... didn't want to see young black men getting killed."

Both the driver and the passenger taunted police and CHP officers, often driving on the wrong side of the road, doing 360-degree spins, fishtailing on dangerously wet streets, and standing up and looking around at the helicopters overhead. The chase wound through South LA, East LA, Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills and back to Hollywood.

A TMZ tour bus even tried to block the car as it drove on the 101 Freeway. Only the tour bus operator was aboard.

Initially, LAPD officers made several attempts to pull over the car, and continued to track the vehicle while staying just short of a full pursuit on downtown freeways.

Just after 2 p.m. CHP officers began a pursuit as the car transitioned to the 101 northbound.

Around 2:20 p.m., the car exited to surface streets, doing doughnuts on a rainy Hollywood Boulevard. The passenger repeatedly stood up in the convertible, appearing to smile at overhead helicopters and at one point talking on the phone.

In the rainy conditions, the car struck at least one other vehicle on the 101 Freeway and clipped another on the 110 Freeway.

Around 2:30 p.m., the car headed up windy Laurel Canyon, fishtailing somewhat on the wet roads before turning on to Mulholland Drive and heading southbound on the 101 Freeway.

By 3 p.m., the car was in the USC area, and bystanders were running up to the Mustang as it drove by.

Just before 3:30 p.m., the passenger's side front tire went flat, and the pair eventually came to a stop in a South LA neighborhood. Dozens of bystanders came out and the two embraced several people before sitting in and on the car waiting for officers.

Sheriff's deputies arrived at 3:30 p.m. and took the driver, passenger and a third man into custody.

The young woman found dead and stuffed inside a suitcase discovered in downtown San Diego Wednesday is 21 years old, homicide investigators with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirm.

On Thursday, police said they had identified the victim of the grisly killing, though her name was being withheld until investigators could notify her family. The woman’s name will be released by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s (ME) office.

The young woman’s body was found inside a black suitcase just after 11 a.m. near the 1300 block of 7th Avenue and A Street downtown. Police said a man who lives in the area saw the suitcase on the ground and walked over to check it out.

“He looked at it, determined that it looked a little suspicious and that’s when he called police,” SDPD Lt. Ray Valentin said Wednesday.

That man, a retired U.S. Navy service member named Phil, spoke with NBC 7 about the disturbing discovery. He preferred not to give his full name and was understandably shaken, still fighting to get the gruesome images out of his mind.

Phil told NBC 7 there are a lot of homeless people in his neighborhood and he often sees them rummaging through trash cans in the area where he found the suitcase. Residents keep their trash cans there and when Phil first noticed the suitcase, he figured it had been left behind by a transient.

“I was taking out my trash, I saw the trash can down and I saw the suitcase there and it was close to our building. I was basically picking it up to get it out of the way,” he said. “That’s when I realized it was a lot more there than what I thought I was looking at."

Phil knew something was terribly wrong when he spotted human hair peeking out of the zipper of the luggage..

“I dropped [the suitcase] and looked down and saw hair, black hair coming out...because it was zipped up, but you could still see the hair,” he said.

Phil called authorities and SDPD detectives launched a homicide investigation. No details have yet been released on the woman’s cause or manner of death. At this point, the date of the woman’s death is also unclear. The ME’s report has not been finalized.

On Thursday, Phil told NBC 7 he was "still processing" the shocking ordeal.

“Basically, [I’m] just replaying what happened. I was wondering what was going on? Who was she? What happened?” Phil said. “There’s no way you are ready for something like that; to see something like that.”

Phil said he feels terrible for the woman’s family.

“I feel so sorry for the parents,” he lamented. “No person deserves that type of ending.”

“That’s going to be an image that I – that’s going to be on my mind for a while. You don’t erase that. It’s a person,” he added, visibly upset. “I have a mother, a sister, family friends that I love. No one deserves to be thrown out with the trash like that.”

Phil said he’s heard of things like this happening in major cities but said that seeing something like this up close is different and more horrifying than he could’ve ever imagined.

Anyone with information on this case can call the SDPD’S Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. As of 3 p.m. Thursday, no arrests had been made in connection with this case.

A child found living in a shed without utilities in the backyard of a Lakeside home had what she needed, according to a relative. 

"She was well taken care of, that's enough," Ted Tavolazzi said Thursday, defending his brother's decision to live in one of the backyard sheds with a woman and his 9-year-old girl niece.

 “My brother didn't have a place to stay that's the only place he could keep her was with him in the backyard,” Tavolazzi said. “She had a good place to live had a bed there and everything.” 

Also found in the shed, deputies say, were a shotgun, rifle and eight grams of methamphetamine. 

Deputies say the guns and drugs were all within the child’s reach when they found her living in deplorable conditions among the junk littering the backyard and the shed with no water, no toilet and one electrical socket. 

“But she had access to the house, the bathroom in the house, the water in the house. She has everything there,” Tavolazzi said. “He was doing the best he could under the circumstances he was in." 

Deputies discovered the child when they did a probation check Thursday morning on two people at the home on Lindo Lane. 

Six men and two women were arrested on various felony weapon and drug possession charges with intent to sell. 

“People drive up, they stop walk in back of the house for a while and get in their car and drive off,” said neighbor Tom Wessels. “It's like going to McDonald’s.” 

A picture taken by a neighbor shows what happened when residents say a propane tank used to heat one of the sheds exploded, setting a tree on fire. 

Trash outside the home sparked at least one resident to write a county supervisor for help. 

A concrete wall was built by another neighbor to shield his kids from the problems next door. 

“It's pretty disgusting the traffic and the trash. there's been violence there," said neighbor Traci Howe.

Thirteen people were detained. Six men and two women were arrested and booked into county jail, officials said.

They include, Kirsten Fleming, 22, Wesley Fleming, 27, Dustin Kemna, 21, Joe Tavolazzi, 60, Kimberly Bradeen, 29, Nathan Tavolazzi, 22, John Joe Carter, 22, and Harvey Garrison, 51. 

Charges include felony child endangerment, gun charges, drug charges, probation violations and sales of a controlled substance near a school.

The girl was in the custody of employees of the Child Protective Services Drug Endangered Children unit. Deputies said her condition was surprisingly good, considering the deplorable living conditions.

It's not clear how long they had been living in the shed. The investigation is ongoing. 

Two people are dead in a shooting at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, authorities said.

Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman James Keith told MSNBC the Friday morning attack appears to be a murder-suicide.

The bodies of two males were found inside an office at the Forbes Hall building, Brig. Gen. Robert D. LaBrutta said at press conference Friday. Officials also found two Glock firearms at the scene," he added.  

Officials declined to identify the victims, saying the families must be notified first.

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press an airman shot his commander. NBC News has not independently confirmed this information.

Investigators released a surveillance photo Thursday of a Jeep suspected of following two children walking home from school in Scripps Ranch in what may have been an attempted abduction.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), a 10-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother were walking home from Jerabek Elementary School Tuesday at around 3:30 p.m. when an unknown man driving a Jeep began to follow them along the 10000 block of Scripps Trail.

Investigators said the suspect repeatedly stopped his vehicle in front of the children. At one point, he exited the Jeep and allegedly attempted to grab the boy and also tried to grab the girl by her backpack.

Police said the girl was able to push the man away and the kids ran up a hill to escape from the suspect. The man then drove away.

Two days later, investigators may have the break they need to find the alleged predator.

A security camera mounted on the front of the nearby shopping center, Market at the Ranch, was aimed toward some gas pumps and Scripps Trail. The cameras captured a grainy image of what police believe is the Jeep driven by the suspect in the attempted abduction.

Police said the vehicle appeared to be a faded back mid-1990s model Jeep Cherokee. Investigators released the photograph of the vehicle in hopes that someone will be able to identify its owner and the whereabouts of the suspect.

According to investigators, the suspect was described as a white man who stood between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-8 with dirty blond hair and a left eye described as having unusual characteristics. The suspect wore a white T-shirt, camouflage pants and red and white shoes.

Scripps Ranch is made up of many single-family homes and children, so the attempted abduction and lack of arrest is troublesome for many parents who live in the area, including Tiffanee Edwards and Randy Swisher.

“It's kind of alarming that it is so close by and these are older than my kids," Edwards told NBC 7. “It's hard enough to keep track of both of them at one time. I do go out a lot with them thinking it's a safe area and it's fine."

“This is an area you don't expect something to happen like that around here,” said Swisher. “You watch it on the news and you know it is happening out there, but I feel like I can trust everyone around here.”

Anyone with information about the Jeep or suspect can call SDPD Acting Detective Arthur Cameron at (858) 538-8012 or email him at ACameron@pd.sandiego.gov, or call the SDPD at (619) 531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Grab a jacket and an umbrella as you head out the door Friday. A second day of rain is in the forecast for much of San Diego County.

Roads were slick Friday morning as rain fell across the county for a second day. California Highway Patrol officers advised drivers to check their windshield wipers before getting in the car. 

Light rain with low temperatures were in the day's forecast, NBC 7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh said. 

Residents should expect those scattered showers throughout the day with a second, more powerful, storm bringing rain and possibly thunderstorms over the weekend. 

“Because the storm is traveling to the north, expect all areas eventually to be getting these droplets,” Kodesh said. “We have a chance of showers all day long so be prepared.”

The National Weather Service recorded .23 of an inch of rainfall in Alpine, Escondido, La Jolla, Leucadia and Rancho Bernardo and .44 of an inch in San Carlos as of Thursday afternoon.

Download the free NBC 7 mobile app to stay updated on weather conditions.

San Diego has one of the highest concentrations of home solar customers in the country. But while the number of solar companies is growing, there are changes coming that could take money out of your pocket.

By one estimate, the average neighborhood solar project runs around $24,000.

Houses along Interstate 15 in Scripps Ranch and in the East County make up the epicenter of San Diego's solar universe.

"The industry is growing by leaps and bounds to the tune of 30 to 50 percent growth per year," said Daniel Sullivan with Sullivan Solar Power.

He estimates there are now more than 200 companies offering solar in the county.

In March, during what is normally one of the slowest times of the year, San Diego County saw the second highest number of installations ever.

One reason for the rush? San Diego County is about to reach its 5 percent solar threshold. At the current installation rate, that’s about 60 days out according to Sullivan.

Until recently, that would have been the end of net metering, or the point where San Diego Gas & Electric credits solar customers for their excess electricity.

The Public Utilities Commission extended net metering until at least 2019, but it did agree with power companies to add new fees once the 5 percent cap is reached.

"Those that go solar after the cap is hit are going to pay probably around $200 more per year on their annual electricity bills than if they’d gone solar beforehand," Sullivan said.

There will also be a one-time installation fee of about $150. 

If you want to take advantage of the savings, expect some delay. 

"We have to get the permits, we have to secure the equipment and that time line can be roughly 30 days," said Sullivan.

 He predicts San Diego will reach its net metering cap by late May or early June, San Diego Gas & Electric is predicting mid-summer.  

Keep these suggestions in mind when shopping for a solar company: 

• Don't rush into a solar decision.
• Talk to two or three solar companies
• Make sure they can back up their promises.
• Get a reference or referral.

A standup paddleboarder in Florida came face to face with a shark Thursday in the waters off Jupiter in Palm Beach County.

Maximo Trinidad shot video of the close encounter while boarding on his lunch break near Corners Beach, according to NBC affiliate WPTV in West Palm Beach.

The footage shows Trindad along when suddenly, his board clips a large shark to his left, sending Trinidad straight into the water.

"As soon as I saw that big beautiful animal jumping next to me, everything went into slow motion. I didn't want to be on top of it and think I was a fish," he told WPTV. "Everything was so surreal. It was so cool."

Trinidad is seen on video climbing back on top of his board and letting out an expletive in reaction to the incredible encounter.

He told WPTV this wasn't his first experience with a shark.

On another occasion, a shark jumped so high next to him it nearly reached eye level, Trinidad said.

Six firefighters have been injured in a massive fire that consumed three commercial buildings on the Jersey Shore Friday evening, causing one of them to collapse, authorities say.

The blaze broke out at a building on West Front Street in downtown Keyport about 3:30 p.m., and quickly spread to two nearby buildings, according to authorities. 

"It came on so quick, it took the whole building," said witness Bob Deronde.

Dozens of fire trucks and ladder units from several municipalities battled flames shooting through the roof and ripping through the structure. Thick smoke billowed from the building, blanketing nearby streets, video shows.

"It was pretty intense. The flames were pretty high," said Joe Vecchio. 

"The gray smoke just started billowing out of the front," said witness David Austin. 

Videos provided to NBC 4 New York by witnesses show part of the fire-gutted building collapse. Radio transmissions between emergency responders reveal concern over firefighters possibly injured in the blaze. 

"Urgent, we have guys down, urgent, Mayday," one firefighter is heard saying.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" the recording continues. 

Two of the firefighters who were inside the building when it collapsed were hurt, and and four other firefighters were injured battling the blaze, which destroyed five businesses and several apartments, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office said. None of the injuries was life-threatening; most were from smoke inhalation. 

It's not clear what sparked the fire. It was under control by the evening, but hot spots were continuing to pop up. 

There was a brief gas leak, but it was quickly capped, authorities said. 

Deronde said he was inside the building when the fire started. He said a roofer ran into his office looking for a fire extinguisher.

Now "the whole corner is totaled, our office is definitely totaled. The apartments up top, the building next door collapsed also," he said. 

The building is expected to be demolished Friday night because of structural concerns. 

Despite the destruction, residents were grateful the fire was contained before it destroyed all of downtown Keyport.

"I know a couple of firemen were injured, I hope they're OK. But they did an unbelievable job keeping that from spreading downtown," said Vecchio.

"If it wasn't for them, we'd be talking about 23 apartments burning down, and instead we're only talking about one or two. Thank God for them," said Austin. 

About 50 miles down the shore, another fire at a junkyard and recycling plant in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, forced officials to shut down exit 77 of the Garden State Parkway. 

The debate over whether Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders think the other is qualified for the presidency may be over, NBC News reports.

On Wednesday, Sanders responded sharply to a Washington Post story based on an interview Clinton did with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” in which she said the Vermont senator had not done his “homework” on some of his plans. Sanders told supporters at a Philadelphia rally that Clinton was not qualified to be president.

The two candidates spent the next two days fielding questions over the other’s qualifications. While Hillary Clinton avoided answering the question, Sanders stuck to his guns, saying he believed it was her campaign’s strategy to "disqualify him."

Sanders finally walked back his comments on Friday, during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show, when he said “of course” she’s qualified.

"On her worst day, she would be an infinitely better president than either of the Republican candidates," he said.

Detectives are searching for three suspects who plotted to distract a shopper at Fashion Valley Mall, stealing her wallet and then going on a $15,000 shopping spree at the mall using the victim’s credit cards. 

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) released details of the theft for the first time Friday, along with photos of the three suspects.

The crime happened around 2:15 p.m. on March 17, as the victim shopped at a Sephora store inside Fashion Valley Mall. The victim was holding her 9-month-old baby when two of the suspects – a man and a woman – started talking to her in a ploy to distract her.

Investigators said that as the suspects made small talk with the victim, a third suspect – another woman – snagged the victim’s wallet from inside her purse. The victim’s handbag was attached to her baby’s stroller, police said.

It took a while for the victim to realize her wallet was missing – enough time for the group to go shopping at several stores throughout the mall.

Investigators said the suspects used the victim’s stolen identification card and credits cards to rack up more than $15,000 in fraudulent purchases at stores like Bloomingdale's, Louis Vuitton and Gucci. They also shopped at Target.

Three weeks later, the suspects remain at large.

Detectives describe the male suspect – known, for now, as “Suspect 1” – as 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 with a thin build. He has dark-colored hair and is approximately 40 years old. He wore a tan Fedora hat with a black band on it.

The woman who was with him while talking to the victim is known by detectives as “Suspect 2.” She’s described as being in her late 30s, around 5-foot-3 with a heavy build. She had shoulder-length brown hair. “Suspect 3” – the woman who swept in and took the victim’s wallet from her purse – is described as having similar characteristics as Suspect 2.

NBC 7 spoke to the victim Friday. She didn't want to be identified but said she wants to share her story so others won't fall prey to thieves this way.

The mother said she had a strange feeling while talking to the suspects, like something just wasn’t right.

She said the man and woman were well-dressed, nice and charismatic and, at first, seemed to be admiring her baby. However, she soon learned their motive wasn’t quite so cute.

“The encounter was a little longer than your traditional ‘Oh, you have a cute baby.’ Looking back on it now, I can see that he was distracting me for quite a while,” the victim told NBC 7.

The victim said the man tickled her infant and told her she was cute. As the compliments continued, the victim didn’t realize the third suspect was in the process of nabbing her wallet.

“I just can’t believe that they used my baby to distract me,” she said.

The victim said seeing the photos of the suspects released by police Friday made her “sick.”

“Seeing those pictures again makes my blood boil,” she told NBC 7. “It makes me so angry that they could do that to me and my baby -- but not only that, they looked so normal. It's not like your stereotypical thief trying to get your wallet.”

The victim said she wants other to be aware that something like this could happen when one least expects it.

Based on the transaction records for her stolen credit cards, the victim said she knows exactly what the thieves bought. She now regularly checks listings on Craigslist and eBay, hoping to spot the items and eventually catch the crooks.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects or knows their whereabouts can contact the SDPD’s Western Division at (619) 692-4800 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

The police department said the suspects are facing charges of grand theft and credit card fraud.