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Cop Mistook Doughnut Glaze for Meth

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An Orlando man who was arrested after police officers mistook Krispy Kreme doughnut glaze for crystal meth has been cleared.

Daniel Frederick Rushing, 64, was arrested on a possession of methamphetamine charge after he was pulled over for speeding back in December, according to an Orlando police report.

During the stop, an officer noticed a "rock like substance" on the floor board of Rushing's car.

"I recognized, through my eleven years of training and experience as a law enforcement officer, the substance to be some sort of narcotic," the report said.

According to the report, two separate field tests were performed and both came back positive for the presence of amphetamines.

Rushing was handcuffed, booked into county jail and strip searched, and it wasn't until a state crime lab did another test several weeks later that he was cleared, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

"It was incredible," he told the Sentinel. "It feels scary when you haven't done anything wrong and get arrested...It's just a terrible feeling."

His arrest came after he had dropped off a neighbor at the hospital for a chemotherapy session, and went to give another friend, who worked at a 7-Eleven, a ride home, he said.

"I kept telling them, 'That's … glaze from a doughnut. … They tried to say it was crack cocaine at first, then they said, 'No, it's meth, crystal meth,'" he told the newspaper.

His arrest report confirms that he tried to explain to police that he didn't have any drugs.  

"Rushing stated that the substance is sugar from a Krispie Kreme Donut that he ate," wrote the officer who made the arrest, Cpl. Shelby Riggs-Hopkins, an eight-year department veteran. 

In a statement to the paper, Orlando police said the arrest was lawful but didn't explain why the two field tests were wrong.

Rushing has hired a lawyer and is seeking damages from the city.



Photo Credit: FILE - Getty Images

Levy's Mother in 'State of Shock'

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The mother of Chandra Levy, a Washington, D.C., intern from Modesto, California, whose 2001 disappearance and death received national attention, said she is "totally in a state of shock" after learning the charges will be dropped against the man convicted of killing her daughter.

Susan Levy said the news brought back feelings she had 15 years ago when her daughter vanished.

"It kind of puts you back to the level of grief you originally had," she told NBC Bay Area. 

Federal prosecutors announced Thursday they are dropping all charges against Salvadoran immigrant Ingmar Guandique, citing "recent unforeseen developments that were investigated over the past week."

A spokeswoman for Guandique's lawyers said Thursday that the jailhouse informant who reported that Guandique confessed to the crime was found to have lied.

"I only wish we could get the right person, whoever did what happened to my daughter," said Susan Levy.

Levy added that she thinks of her daughter constantly and won't stop seeking justice.

"I always want justice," she said, "but even if I get justice, it doesn't bring calm back to a family that's been fractured by a horrendous crime like this."

Guandique was convicted in 2010 in Levy's death but later was granted a new trial, which was expected to begin this fall. But the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement Thursday that prosecutors have moved to dismiss the case charging Guandique with Levy's 2001 murder. Those charges were formally dropped later in the day.

Chandra Levy's disappearance got national headlines after it was learned she was romantically linked to then-Congressman Gary Condit. Condit insisted he had nothing to do with the 24-year-old's disappearance. He was later ruled out as a suspect.

Levy's remains were found at Rock Creek Park in D.C. a year after her disappearance.

Prosecutors argued Levy's death fit a pattern of attacks Guandique committed on female joggers. At the time, he had been serving 10 years in prison for attacking two other women in Rock Creek Park.

But prosecutors lacked hard evidence against him in the Levy case, presenting neither eyewitnesses nor DNA evidence.

A jury found Guandique guilty in November 2010 on two charges of felony murder in Levy's death. He was sentenced to 60 years.

Condit's attorney, L. Lin Wood, responded to Thursday's news in a statement: "Gary Condit was extremely disappointed to learn today that the prosecution has decided against a retrial of Ingmar Guandique, the individual previously found guilty of the murder of Chandra Levy. The failure of authorities to bring formal closure to this tragedy after 15 years is very disappointing but in no way alters the fact that Mr. Condit was long ago completely exonerated by authorities in connection with Ms. Levy's death. At some point in the near future, I expect Mr. Condit to speak publicly about the case but he does not believe that it is appropriate to do so at this time."



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

High School Music Teacher Accused of Sex With Former Student

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A high school music teacher in San Diego was arrested Wednesday, accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student five years ago – when that student was a teenager.

The Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD), said Jason Mangan-Magabilin, 38, was taken into custody and booked into county jail on suspicion of nine counts of oral copulation with a minor under 18 and four other counts of sex with a minor.

Police said Mangan-Magabilin is a music teacher at Bonita Vista High School. The Sweetwater Union High School District is fully cooperating with the police investigation, the CVPD said Thursday. The school district is also conducting its own internal personnel investigation on the case.

Mangan-Magabilin referred NBC 7 San Diego to his lawyer for a statement, who said they are not ready to talk about the case yet. 

CVPD Capt. Lon Turner said the teacher’s alleged relationship happened five years ago with a former student, when that student was between 15 and 17 years old.

The victim recently reported the incident to police because of mandatory reporting at job training. 

Police told NBC 7 San Diego they have physical evidence in the case, but would not specify what physical evidence they have. 

Further details were not immediately released.

The Sweetwater Union High School District released this statement Thursday concerning the case:

"We appreciate that the public has many questions regarding the recent arrests in the District pertaining to alleged inappropriate contacts between students and staff. The District is currently actively working with law enforcement on each of these matters. The District is committed to assisting law enforcement and conducting thorough personnel investigations in each matter, so we are not able to provide further comment at this time."

"We appreciate your understanding and respect of the District’s commitment to protect the integrity of all pending investigations during these challenging circumstances. We ask that you allow our staff to focus their attention during these trying times on the learning environment of our students," the statement continued.

A website for the Club Blue Instrumental Music Program at Bonita Vista High School includes a short biography on Mangan-Magabilin. The bio says he has been with the school for 10 years, and also conducts the Crusader Girls Chorus at Bonita Vista Middle School.

He’s an alumnus of the University of Southern California, where he performed as a member of the Trojan Marching Band. He also earned a master’s degree in conduction from the American Band College of Sam Houston State in 2013.



Photo Credit: Google Maps

Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk: Report

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The United States Navy will be naming one of their ships after gay rights icon and San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, according to a report by the U.S. Naval Institute, which cites a Congressional notice obtained by USNI News.

The July 14 notice, which was signed by Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, indicates that he plans to name a planned Military Sealift Command fleet oiler, USNS Harvey Milk, according to USNI.

The ship is reportedly being built by General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego, California.

A Department of the Navy spokesman did not have a comment on the report.

Milk, who moved from New York to settle in San Francisco in the seventies, was elected to the SF Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California. In 1972, he and his partner Scott Smith – portrayed by James Franco in the film “Milk” – opened Castro Camera on 575 Castro Street, which he operated until his assassination in 1978. His involvement in San Francisco’s gay rights movement earned him the name “Mayor of Castro Street.”

He joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and served on the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) as a diving officer in San Diego. Milk came from a Navy family. He was honorably discharged from service as a lieutenant junior grade, according to USNI.

On Nov. 27, 1978, Milk was shot inside San Francisco City Hall. He was wearing his U.S. Navy diver’s belt buckle at the time, according to the report.

Ever since the 2011 repeal of the Department of Defense’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, California lawmakers have pushed to name a ship after Milk.

“This action by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy will further send a green light to all the brave men and women who serve our nation that honesty, acceptance and authenticity are held up among the highest ideals of our military,” Milk’s nephew Stuart Milk told the San Diego LGBT Weekly in 2012.

On Thursday, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener, who signed a resolution urging the Navy to name a ship after Milk, applauded the Navy's apparent decision.

“This is an incredible day for the LGBT community and for our country. As a gay man and a San Franciscan, I'm incredibly proud that the Navy is honoring Harvey Milk — and the entire LGBT community — by naming a ship after him," Weiner said.

"This momentous decision sends a powerful message around the world about who we are as a country and the values we hold," he said. "When Harvey Milk served in the military, he couldn't tell anyone who he truly was. Now our country is telling the men and women who serve, and the entire world, that we honor and support people for who they are. Harvey Milk's strength continues to reverberate throughout our city, our country, and the world.”



Photo Credit: AP

USA Uniforms for Opening Ceremony Revealed

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American athletes will walk into the Maracana stadium for the Olympic opening ceremony next week following the light on their flag bearer's jacket.

The uniforms by Polo Ralph Lauren revealed on "Today" Friday morning show an illuminated "USA" on the back of the flag bearer's jacket. The flag bearer will be announced sometime before the Aug. 5 ceremony.

Athletes will wear navy blazers that feature the USOC logo and the designer's famous polo pony. Underneath, they'll sport a red, white and blue T-shirt with broad horizontal stripes above white jeans.

Fencer Mariel Zagunis was chosen to carry the flag at the 2012 London Olympics, while runner Lopez Lomong led the Americans in to the stadium in Beijing in 2008.

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Photo Credit: Ralph Lauren
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Police Agencies, Politicians Share Remorse on Social Media

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As the news came in that two San Diego police officers were shot, one killed, police across the country lit up Twitter with remorse and condolences.

"It's a sad day for us all," National City police tweeted on Friday morning.

Others showed solidarity and even politicians took to social media to express heartbreak over the shootings.

Here's what they said.

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Photo Credit: Calvin Pearce/NBC 7 San Diego
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'This Is the Job': Great Balloon Pop Follows DNC

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A massive drop of red, white and blue balloons capped off four days of Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia late Thursday night.

But once the balloons dropped and the delegates began to leave the arena, the arena operations crews -- used to normally transition the arena from Sixers to Flyers games -- armed with sharp points began cleaning up by popping the patriotic balloons.

"We have the job," said Brain, wearing a Flyers cap and a smile as he bent over to pop balloon after balloon.

"There's a lot of work to do," said co-worker Odeen, wearing a Phillies cap.

"We do a lot. We do the breakdown, setup of the court, setup for concerts, basketball, hockey. We do a little bit of everything, we're operations," said Brian.

But the operations team had the unique task overnight of balloon poppers.

"This is the job to have right now, all you gotta do is 'pop, pop, pop,'" said Brian.

So what's the tool of the trade for these building-converting experts? Brian, bent down, used a 2016 Twitter pin to pop some of the thousands of balloons scattered over the arena floor.

"A fine pin will bust all these balloons," Brian said.

Brian showed off his pin while shouting "Hillary!"

After about an hour, the crew of balloon poppers expanded as people carrying long poles with pins on the end attacked the balloons.

"Pop, pop, pop," rang throughout the arena and then all the balloons were gone. Somewhere, Nena must be singing.



Photo Credit: NBC10
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Sheriff Responds to SDPD's 'Running Man Challenge'

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The San Diego County Sheriff responded to the San Diego Police Department’s “Running Man Challenge” in a big, over-the-top way.

Sheriff Bill Gore posted his department’s own response to the challenge on social media on Thursday, showing off his deputies’ sweet dance moves.

You might remember that San Diego Police took on its counterparts at the sheriff’s department to the challenge last month.

The challenge, in case you haven’t seen the craze on the internet, entails a dance to the Ghost Town DJs song “My Boo” that incorporates the Running Man dance move of the 1990s.

In their “Running Man” video, sheriff’s employees took to the crime lab, the San Diego County Fair and the beach and even included their police tracking dogs and mounted patrol in the jig.

At one point in the 6-minute video, sheriff’s deputies even blow up an abandoned car. Way to go big!

At the end of the clip, Sheriff Gore challenges residents to “dig down in your pockets and give to your charity of your choice.” He said he plans to donate to Alzheimer’s San Diego in honor of former sheriff, Bill Kolender, who passed away last fall.



Photo Credit: San Diego Sheriff's Department
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Family of Suspect in Attempted Kidnapping Say He is Innocent

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The family of a suspect accused of trying to use a stun gun to kidnap a jogger in University City told NBC 7, he is innocent.

Police arrested 21-year old Shayan Rahimi Thursday afternoon.

According to police, Rahimi allegedly asaulted the victim and used a stun gun on her, leaving her with burn marks on Wednesday morning. The incident happened on the 8200 block of Cargill Avenue and Nobel Drive in University City.

Police say the victim fought off her attacker and was able to get away. She told police the suspect had been driving a black four door Sedan with a Lyft sticker in the front window.

But Rahimi's mother and sister told NBC 7 that he is innocent.

According to his family, Rahimi is a student at San Diego Mesa College in Linda Vista and he works at Papa John’s Pizza.

“I am 100 percent sure he did not do this. He is my son. I know he didn't do this," Rahimi’s mother said. She told NBC 7 that she did not wish to be identified.

Rahimi was tracked down through the victim's description of his car.

“Very distinctive with the help of the detective going through the area they were able to actually find that vehicle,” northern Division Police Captain Mark Hanten said.

The family told NBC 7 that Rahimi only drove for the Lyft service twice and showed us a photo of another black car in the neighborhood that also had a Lyft sticker.

"It’s ridiculous to arrest my brother solely on the basis that he has a car with a Lyft sticker in it,” Rahimi’s sister said.

Rahimi's features were also matched to the description given by the victim.

“The attacker is described as a dark skinned Middle Eastern male with short dark hair with what she described as unique or very distinctive brown eyes," Northern division Lt. Adam Sharki said.

But a picture of Rahimi from July 3 showed that he had changed his hair color. Police have the dye packaging and receipt they found while searching the home.

“My son has blond hair now," his mother said. "And my daughter died his hair three weeks ago."

But despite the family arguments, police seem to be convinced they have arrested the right suspect.

Rahimi is behind bars pending assault and attempted kidnaping charges.

Investigators are now asking that the good Samaritan who aided the victim's escape come forward to help with the case.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

MCAS Miramar Pilot Killed in Aircraft Crash in California

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A pilot based out of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego was killed in an F/A-18C Hornet crash in Twentynine Palms, California, U.S. Marine Corps officials said Friday.

The Marine Corps said the Third Marine Aircraft Wing pilot – whose name was not immediately released – died in the accident at approximately 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. No further details were released.

Twentynine Palms is located in San Bernardino County, about 175 miles northeast of San Diego County.



Photo Credit: Megan Tevrizian
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DNC Day 4: Clinton Makes History and Other Top Moments

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To President Barack Obama, she is a leader who will “blast through glass ceilings.” To former President Bill Clinton, she is the “best darn change agent” he has ever seen. To former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, she is the “sane, competent” candidate in the race.

On Thursday, the last night of the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton got the chance to talk about herself - and what she would do as president.

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Her biggest deficit: With 54 percent of Americans saying they have a negative opinion of her, she is not seen as trustworthy. She took to the stage after an evening featuring accomplished women and issues they care about.

"We Are Not Afraid": Hillary Clinton Accepts the Presidential Nomination

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Clinton told the country it was facing a moment of reckoning, as it had 240 years ago when the founders came together in Philadelphia and the revolution hung in the balance.

"Then somehow they began listening to each other, compromising, finding common purpose,” she said. “And by the time they left Philadelphia, they had begun to see themselves as one nation. That's what made it possible to stand up to a king."

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The country's founders had the courage that was needed then, and that courage is needed again, now that Donald Trump has taken the country from Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" to "Midnight in America," she said. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had the perfect rebuke to Trump more than 80 years ago, during a much more perilous time: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, she said.

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"Now we are clear-eyed about what our country is up against," she said. "But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have."

Her speech presented her vision of America and lambasted Trump's. She called Trump "a man you can bait with a tweet" and "not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons."

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She thanked U.S. Sen.Bernie Sanders and his supporters for putting economic and social justice front and center at the campaign, and talked about what she wanted to accomplish.

"My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States from my first day in office to my last," she said.

And she contrasted her America with Trump's. She would: build an economy for everyone, offering a path to citizenship for immigrants already contributing to the economy; refuse to ban a religion, as Trump wants to do with Muslim immigrants; work with all Americans to fight terrorism.

The first woman nominated as president by a major political party, she acknowledged the milestone, saying "After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit."

A Proud Daughter

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Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother as her hero and biggest role model, describing the "special window" she has had to watch her mother's hard work.

Clinton, who spoke a day after her father, former President Bill Clinton, sought to show voters her mother's softer side, talked about how Hillary Clinton embraces her roles as a mother and as a grandmother.

"My mom can be about to walk on stage for a debate or a speech and it just doesn't matter," she said. "She'll drop everything for a few minutes of kisses and reading 'Chugga Chugga Choo Choo' with her granddaughter."

She described the many times she watched her mother throw herself into public service, working diligently to improve the lives of families and children around the world.

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"People ask me all the time how does she do it, how does she keep going amid the sound and the fury of politics? Here's how: It's because she never ever forgets who she's fighting for," she said.

Clinton, 36, has been in the public eye her entire life, growing up in the White House. Throughout the primary season, Clinton traveled around the country acting as a passionate surrogate for her mother.

Chelsea Clinton's introduction of her mother paralleled remarks delivered by Ivanka Trump, who introduced her father at last week's Republican convention.

Before Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump rivaled each other in the race for the White House, their daughters shared a close friendship.

Though the two have not appeared in public together since the start of the election, Chelsea maintained that she and Ivanka are still friends Thursday on "Today."

Another First 

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Before Clinton accepted the nomination for president, there was another historic moment Thursday evening.

"My name is Sarah McBride, and I am a proud transgender American."

With those words, McBride became the first transgender person to address a political convention.

A graduate of American University, she came out four years ago when she was the student body president.

"At the time I was scared," she said. "I worried that my dreams and my identity were mutually exclusive."

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McBride, 25, interned at the White House Office of Public Engagement, helped to pass legislation in her home state of Delaware banning discrimination based on gender identity and is now the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign.

“Will we be a nation where there’s only one way to love, only one way to look and only one way to live?” she asked. “Or will we be a nation where everyone has the freedom to live openly and equally, a nation that’s stronger together. That is the question in this election.”

Her husband, a transgender man who fought for equality, died four days after they married.

From his death, she learned that every day mattered when it came to building a more equal world.

“Will we be a nation where there’s only one way to love, only one way to look and only one way to live?” she asked. “Or will we be a nation where everyone has the freedom to live openly and equally, a nation that’s stronger together. That is the question in this election.”

Fallen Police Officers

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The Dallas County sheriff and the families of three slain police officers described their legacies — a counter to Republican criticism that Democrats cared little about law enforcement, only those who had been killed by police.

The sheriff, Lupe Valdez, the daughter of migrant workers, said her father was angry when she told him she was joining the police. He and her older brothers had been beaten by the police for no reason. 

“We put on our badge every day to serve and protect, not to hate and discriminate,” she said, and asked for a moment of silence.

Wayne Walker, the mother of 19-year-old Moses Walker, a Philadelphia police officer, said, "While we’re here, we must do the good we can."

The mother of Derek Owens, a Cleveland police officer, said her son had left a legacy of service, integrity and love.

“We never want the sacrifice and all of the other fallen officers to ever be forgotten,” Barbara Owens said.

And the wife of Thor Soderberg, a Chicago police officer, said he once got charges against a boy who had stolen a belt dropped. The boy only had a rope to hold up his pants, Jennifer Loudon said. Soderberg also paid for the belt.

“He knew effective policing required treating people with kindness and respect, especially when he was most often called to their worst moments,” she said.

A Muslim Soldier

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The father of an Army captain killed in a suicide bombing in Iraq challenged Donald Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration, saying his son, Army Capt. Humayun Khan, would never had been in the country if it had been up to Trump. Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims and disrespects other minorities, women, judges, even his own party’s leadership, Khizr Khan said.

“Donald Trump you are asking Americans to trust you with their future,” Khan said. “Let me ask you: Have you even read the United States Constitution. I will gladly lend you my copy.”

Holding up that copy, he told Trump: “In this document, look for the words liberty and equal protection of the law.”

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Humayun Khan, 27, died in a suicide car bombing at the gates of his base in Iraq in 2004. Khan told his troops to get back but he took 10 steps toward the car when it exploded. After his death he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Khizr Khan said his son, who was born in the United Arab Emirates and moved with his family to Maryland when he was 2, had wanted to be a military lawyer.

He urged Trump to visit Arlington Cemetery, where he would see graves of all faiths, genders and ethnicities.

“You have sacrificed nothing and no one,” he told Trump.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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2 Police Officers Shot in San Diego

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Two San Diego Police Department officers with the Elite Gang Unit were shot during a late-night traffic stop in San Diego's Southcrest neighborhood. One officer died, while the second was seriously wounded. Officials arrested one suspect and launched a manhunt for possible additional suspects.

Photo Credit: Calvin Pearce/NBC 7 San Diego

1 SDPD Officer Killed in Line of Duty, Second Officer Hurt

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A San Diego Police Department officer has died and another officer remains hospitalized after a late-night shooting during a traffic stop just south of downtown San Diego. Both officers are part of the force's Elite Gang Unit.

The SDPD said one suspect was in custody shortly after the shooting, while authorities continued to search for other possible suspects.

At around 8:10 a.m. Friday, officers surrounded a home in San Diego's Shelltown area -- at 41st and Epsilon streets -- honing in on another possible suspect.

SWAT officials could be heard calling out to someone inside the home, saying, "Come to the door. It's been a long night."

The sounds of dozens of flash bangs filled the air as the SWAT standoff unfolded.

At a press conference early Friday morning, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman said the officers were conducting the traffic stop shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday in the 3800 block of Boston Avenue in San Diego's Southcrest neighborhood when they were fired upon.

Shortly after stopping their car, the officers called for emergency cover. 

Additional law enforcement officers swarmed the area. There, they found both officers suffering from gunshot wounds.

One officer, who suffered multiple wounds, was rushed in a patrol car to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest. Doctors were unable to save his life. 

The second officer was taken to UC Medical Center, also in Hillcrest, and is expected to survive. At around 3:30 a.m., the officer had come out of surgery and was recovering, the police chief said. 

The mood at the hospital was somber as dozens of officers from all ranks came in and out of the building all morning. Zimmerman said the situation was simply heartbreaking for her police department. She stayed at the hospital, comforting the families of the officers.

Other SDPD leaders, including Asst. Chief Terry McManus and Capt. David Nisleit, also visited the hospital. As officers filed in, they greeted one another with hugs and pained expressions.

Zimmerman did not immediately provide additional details about the officers, but said the officer who died has a wife and two children.

The chief said the officer who survived has a wife and 19-month-old toddler. As of 7:15 a.m., Zimmerman told reporters the wounded officer was resting comfortably at the hospital, but was not awake yet following the surgery.

"It's a long haul until he makes a full recovery, but the good news is that he is going to survive, and he is going to recovery," Zimmerman said.

With the preliminary investigation underway, Zimmerman would not say whether the shooting was an ambush or not.

But sources told NBC News the suspects are believed to belong to a local San Diego gang and there is no indication at this stage of the investigation that the officers were specifically targeted, as in recent incidents in Dallas and Baton Rouge that collectively claimed the lives of eight officers.

Following the shooting, police launched a manhunt for the suspects, combing through Boston Avenue and surrounding areas. A shelter-in-place was issued for the 3800 block of Boston Avenue and surrounding areas. The location is just west of where Interstate 15 and Interstate 5 meet, near Barrio Logan and Logan Heights. 

During the search, officials took one suspect, who has not yet been identified, into custody. The suspect, who was found in a nearby ravine in the 1300 block of 38th Street, also suffered from a gunshot wound and was taken to UC Medical Center. No details on that suspect were released.

The search continued Friday morning for possible additional suspects as authorities used a helicopter, SWAT vehicles and patrol cars to scour the area, including Shelltown, which is about five miles from the scene of the shooting.

At this point, police have not released a description of the suspects.

NBC 7 San Diego viewer, Raul Meza, lives next to Interstate 5. In a comment posted to Facebook, Meza said he couldn't count the number of police cars he saw descending on Southcrest.

"I couldn't even tell you how many cop cars were racing down the freeway," Meza wrote on NBC San Diego's Facebook page. "I've never seen anything like that before."

SDPD officials are expected to hold another news briefing a later time Friday.

NBC 7 will bring you those updates.

The last time an SDPD officer was killed in the line of duty was in 2011, when Officer Jeremy Henwood was shot in San Diego's City Heights community.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer released this statement Friday morning on the tragedy:

“Last night we lost one of San Diego’s finest. We grieve for our fallen officer and stand with his family during this very difficult time. We also pray for the second officer shot last night as he recovers from surgery. Violence against the men and women who wear the badge is violence against us all. I ask all San Diegans and all people across our nation to join together in support of our officers who courageously protect our communities. We need them and they need us.”

The National Action Network (NAN) San Diego , a community organization led by Reverend Shane Harris, released a statement regarding the shooting, "We condemn anyone who uses vengeance as a tool to kill innocent police or innocent victims."



Photo Credit: Calvin Pearce/NBC 7 San Diego
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Could Candidate Trump Be Denied National Security Briefings?

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Calls have increased for Republican nominee Donald Trump to be denied national security briefings offered to presidential nominees of major political parties after his entreaty to Russian hackers to find Hillary Clinton's deleted e-mails, NBC News reported.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said he hopes the untrustworthy Trump is given "fake intelligence briefings." Democratic Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island sent a letter to President Barack Obama saying Trump "is unfit to receive sensitive intelligence" and asks that he "withhold" Trump's expected intelligence briefing.

The national security briefings are "a courtesy," at the discretion of the president and not required by law, according to David Priess, the author of "The President's Book of Secrets." But, Priess noted, if a candidate divulges classified information, there could be legal repercussions but the political repercussions would probably be far worse.

On Thursday, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said the president will respect the 60-year-old tradition.



Photo Credit: IM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

At Least 2 Dead in California Medical Plane Crash

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Authorities say searchers have found the wreckage of a small medical transport plane in remote Northern California and that at least two people are dead.

A pilot was taking a flight nurse, a transport medic and a patient from Crescent City, near the Oregon border, to Oakland. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office didn't immediately release information about the fates of the other two people aboard.

Rescue teams found the crash site Friday on land owned by a private timber company in Humboldt County, about 280 miles north of San Francisco.

Officials say the pilot reported smoke filling the cockpit and declared an emergency around 1 a.m.

The National Transportation and Safety Board has been notified.



Photo Credit: Kristofer Noceda

Calif. Resort Uses Falcons As 'Bouncers' to Combat Seagull Population

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The Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula had a seagull problem that was solved by turning to some of nature's most intimidating "bouncers."

Joe Roy III and his birds of prey specialize in getting rid of the large seagull populations using non-lethal methods.

He flies his birds, including an 18-year-old hawk, around the resort just as the sun comes up as a part of his typical day. This keeps the gull population away, intimidated by the fearsome bird of prey.

He describes his birds as the bouncers of the resort, making sure the gulls recognize that the area as unfriendly and dangerous.

Roy has been practicing falconry since he was 9 years old.

"Falconry is an art form. I don't know anything about zen, but it's a self-perfecting art," he said.

The falconry program began in May 2009 as part of Terranea's Adventure Concierge service to get guests more comfortable with the surrounding area.

"They love it, most of the people that arrive are familiar with the falconry program. Typically, they're quite excited, and once in a while they get nervous," Roy said. "They want to see the birds and take photos and videos."

He added that the people who were most supportive of the falconry program were people who came from areas with a lot of seagulls. 

He uses a Eurasian eagle owl to educate guests on the general identification of birds, their role in the environment and how they feed and fly. 

"These birds of prey are more akin to cats than dogs. We don't train them like we train dogs," he said about the birds' personalities.

Even so, Roy added that there is also emotions involved with the birds.

"If we imprint on them there's an emotional bond to be had, but if they're older it's more of a work relationship," he said.

His 18-year-old peregrine hawk he raised since she was an infant, and said that the bird saw him as her mother and then later as a mate. 

In short, a friend. 

"If your heart doesn't beat faster when you see a hawk or falcon take off, you're dead," he said. 



Photo Credit: Terranea Resort

Appeals Court Rejects Strict NC Voting Law

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A North Carolina voting law was struck down Friday by a federal appeals court, finding that Republican lawmakers intentionally discriminated against African-Americans, NBC News reported. 

According to the federal appeals court, the measure’s provisions "target African-Americans with almost surgical precision." The court found that African-American registration and turnout rates reached parity with those of whites by 2013. 

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, signed and championed the law, which imposed a voter ID requirement, cut early voting opportunities, eliminated same-day voter registration and banned voting from outside precincts. 

A district court upheld the law, but the appeals court found it erred in its decision by seeing the law’s goals as partisan rather than race-based. 

"Before enacting that law, the legislature requested data on the use, by race, of a number of voting practices. Upon receipt of the race data, the General Assembly enacted legislation that restricted voting and registration in five different ways, all of which disproportionately affected African-Americans."



Photo Credit: AP

Chelsea Manning Faces Charges After Suicide Attempt

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Jailed transgender soldier Chelsea Manning is facing "administrative offenses" related to her July 5 suicide attempt that could result in indefinite solitary confinement, her attorneys have said.

Manning, who was convicted in 2013 on espionage charges for sending more than 700,000 classified documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, was briefly hospitalized earlier this month for an unknown medical condition. It was later confirmed she had tried to end her own life. 

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the new charges against Manning include "resisting the force cell move team," "prohibited property" and "conduct which threatens." 

A spokesman for the Army did not return NBC News' request for comment.



Photo Credit: AP

Pence: 'Name Calling' Has No Place in Politics

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Mike Pence called out President Barack Obama on Friday for indirectly referring to Donald Trump as a demagogue, saying “name calling” has “no place in public life,” NBC News reported. 

Pence told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt he felt it was “unfortunate” that the president would use a term like that during his comments about Trump during his speech at the Democratic National Convention. 

The president took a swipe at Trump on Wednesday, but didn’t attach the demagogue label directly to Trump: “Anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end," Obama said. 

Pence has promised to run a campaign free from personal attacks. But his comments back up against Trump’s use of derogatory nicknames over the last year including: "Little Michael Bloomberg", "Crooked Hillary" [Clinton], "Corrupt [Tim] Kaine", "Liddle Marco [Rubio]", "Lyin' Ted" [Cruz], "Crazy Bernie" [Sanders], "Goofy" [Elizabeth Warren] and "Low Energy Jeb" [Bush].



Photo Credit: AP

Padres Send Cashner, Rea to the Marlins

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This season has been like the Twilight Zone for Padres fans.

Usually the offense is holding back a solid Padres pitching staff, but this year it’s the other way around. And today, two Opening Day starters got traded to the Miami Marlins.

Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea, along with minor league relief pitcher Tayron Guerrero, went to the Marlins in a seven-player trade with Josh Naylor, Jarred Cosart, Carter Capps and Luis Castillo coming to the Padres organization.

Cashner has struggled this season but his last three starts have been his best of the year. The 29-year old right-hander is 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts. The former first rounder drafted 19th overall by the Chicago Cubs in 2008 has struggled with location this season.

So has 26-year old righty Colin Rea. In 19 games (18 starts), Rea is 5-5 with an ERA of 4.98. The Indiana State University product had spent his entire career in the Padres organization after being drafted in the 12th-round in 2011.

Tayron Guerrero is the final Friars piece heading to Miami. The 25-year old minor league relief pitcher has 32 outings between the Padres Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso teams. The Columbia native made his Major League debut this season with a relief appearance against the San Francisco Giants in May. Guerrero went two-innings giving up three-hits and one earned run taking the loss.

In return, the Padres are continuing to add pitching depth and an infielder.

Carter Capps has four-years of big league experience between the Marlins and Seattle Mariners. The 25-year old relief pitcher is currently on the 60-day disabled list after undergoing season ending Tommy John surgery this March. Capps has a career 3.99 ERA with 23 hold and has only given up 15 home runs in 135.1 innings pitched.

Jarred Cosart is the one who should make the quickest impact with his new club. With Cashner, Rea, Drew Pomeranz and James Shields all gone (along with Opening Day starter Tyson Ross who’s on the DL), Cosart is expected to slide into the new Padres rotation with Christian Friedrich, Luis Perdomo, Edwin Jackson and Paul Clemens.

In 58 MLB games, Cosart is 16-18 between the Houston Astros and Marlins with 3.69 ERA. His time in the big leagues has had mixed results but the 26-year old who is 3-5 with a 4.14 ERA this season gives the Padres options.

The Padres also get two Single-A players in pitcher Castillo and infielder Naylor. Castillo was named a 2016 Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star and is ranked as the Marlins number six prospect by MLB.com. He’s 7-3 with a 2.25 ERA racking up 84 strikeouts with just 15 walks this season.

Infielder Naylor was named a Midwest League Mid-Season All-Star after hitting .269 with nine home runs, 54 RBI and 42 runs scored in just 89 games in Greensboro. The 19-year old who the Marlins drafted 12th overall in 2015 was Miami’s number one prospect according to Baseball America and the 100th overall prospect.

In addition to players, the Padres are essentially paying the salaries of Cashner and Rea for the rest of the season and the Marlins are doing the same with Capps and Cosart.



Photo Credit: The Associated Press
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