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Local Athletes Compete in Rio Games: Aug. 9

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San Diego will be well-represented Tuesday at the 2016 Rio Games as local athletes set their sights on victory in their sports.

On Tuesday, athletes with local ties will compete in Rowing, Archery, Sailing, Swimming, Beach Volleyball and Men’s Volleyball.

Tuesday’s local contenders are:

Caleb Paine: Paine is a native San Diegan who attended Murray Manor Elementary School and Parkway Middle School in La Mesa, and graduated from Point Loma High School in 2009. He grew up at the Southwestern Yacht Club. On Tuesday, Paine begans his competitive run in the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. He finished two races in Guanabra Bay in Copacabana earning 7th ranking in Race 1 and 10th ranking in Race 2.

Tyler Nase: This athlete, who often trains at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center (OTC) in San Diego’s South Bay, finished fourth in Tuesday's Men's coxless lightweight four semifinals with a time of 6:26.82. He'll compete in the Final B group beginning at 5 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11.

Brady Ellision: This Chula Vista OTC resident athlete and silver medalist in the team compeition beat his first opponent Tuesday 6-0 at Sambódromo in Maracaña. His teammate Jake Kaminski advanced as well with a 6-2 score in the Round of 64. Kaminski trained at the Chula Vista OTC from 2008 to 2012.

Then, Kaminiski and Ellison faced each other in the Round of 32 with Ellison advancing to the Round of 16.

Lauren Fendrick: This beach volleyball athlete and Carlsbad native lost to Brazil Tuesday at the Beach Volleyball Arena in Copacabana.  Fendrick is a graduate of Carlsbad High School.

David Lee: U.S. men's volleyball - and Alpine native Lee - faced Italy in pool play at Maracanazinho in Maracaña. Italy, the defending bronze medalists, beat the U.S. in four sets 3-1.

Ryan Lochte: Now considered an Olympics veteran, Lochte will hit the pool at the Olympics Aquatics Stadium for Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay heats beginning at 10 a.m. PT. Although he’s not from San Diego, Lochte did train for three weeks at the Chula Vista OTC.

For updates from the 2016 Rio Games, including profiles of San Diego athletes, visit our Olympics section here.

NBC 7’s Steven Luke is reporting from Rio during the 2016 Olympic Summer Games; follow him on Twitter and Facebook for exciting updates from Brazil over the next few weeks.


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French Fencer Loses Cellphone During Match

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Not even an Olympic match could force French fencer Enzo Lefort to part with his cellphone. The 24-year-old’s phone fell out of his pocket as he fought Peter Joppich of Germany on Sunday.

Lefort lost to Joppich 15-13 in the men’s individual foil round of 32. But he did give the audience in Rio a good laugh. 

He’ll next play as part of the men’s team foil against China on Friday.



Photo Credit: AP

Blast Sparks Strike by Lawyers in Pakistan

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Pakistani lawyers staged a nationwide strike Tuesday after a suicide bombing in Quetta killed dozens of colleagues, NBC News reported. 

More than 70 people died in the attack on Monday. Sixty of those slain were lawyers who gathered to mourn the assassination of the Baluchistan Bar Association’s president, Bilal Anwar Kasi, according to medical staff. 

ISIS was one of two Islamist militant groups to claim responsibility for the attack, but officials and analysts had doubts over whether it was behind it. The attack was initially claimed by Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban fighting to overthrow the government and establish Islamic law. 

The bombing was the latest and deadliest attack against lawyers in Pakistan, who are seen by some militants as an extension of the government.



Photo Credit: AP

Zika Baby Death in Houston-Area

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Texas health officials confirmed Tuesday that an infant who passed away shortly after birth in Harris County had microcephaly linked to the Zika virus.

The mother was infected with Zika while traveling in Latin America, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The child acquired the infection in the womb, officials said.

At least 99 cases of Zika have been reported in Texas, including two infants with microcephaly in Harris County. All Texas cases are related to travel in countries where Zika is prevalent, and no cases have been transmitted by mosquitoes in Texas.

DSHS is coordinating with officials in Harris County and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to follow Zika cases.

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“Zika’s impact on unborn babies can be tragic, and our hearts are with this family,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner. “Our central mission from the beginning has been to do everything we can to protect unborn babies from the devastating effects of Zika.”

The CDC has advised pregnant women not to travel to Zika-affected parts of Latin America and the Caribbean and the Wynwood neighborhood in Miami.

DSHS has been emphasizing precautions, specifically for travelers and pregnant women, through an ongoing public education campaign and via www.TexasZika.org.

WikiLeaks Offers Reward

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WikiLeaks is offering a reward for information in the murder of a Democratic National Committee staffer. 

WikiLeaks said in a tweet Tuesday that the group is issuing a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the death of Seth Conrad Rich. 

Rich was shot multiple times on the 2100 block of Flagler Place NW on July 10, police said. He was 27.

Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Peter Newsham gave a brief update Tuesday afternoon.

"At this time, we don't have any information to suggest that the case is in any way connected with his work at the DNC," he said.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier said at a news conference last week that it is possible Rich was killed in an attempted robbery. 

The case remains under investigation. 

Newsham also commented Tuesday afternoon on the reward WikiLeaks is offering. 

"We're very pleased if anyone is going to assist us with giving reward money," he said. 

A reward of as much as $25,000 is also being offered by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

Rich, a Nebraska native, was a rising star in the DNC, colleagues said.

His mother, Mary Rich, said she took comfort knowing her son tried to make the world better.

"The only thing I can say as a mother is it warms my heart that he lived such a great life, even though it was cut short," she said. "I can always hold on to that."

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call police at 202-727-9099 or send a text message to 50411. 



Photo Credit: Courtesy of family
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LA Woman Delivers Own Baby in Car

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All of Jesse and Patty Snider's four children are named after superheroes, but after Patty delivered her own baby in a car on the 405 Freeway, it's clear she's the superhero in the family.

The Sniders were all smiles as they showed off their newborn baby daughter, Parker Pryde, in the hospital. But in their first ever family video, they're more shocked and surprised.

"My wife just had the baby in the car, on the way to the hospital," Jesse Snider said in a video posted on Instagram.

Parker was born on Sunday as her dad was driving on the 405 Freeway.

"I notice that she's pulled her pants down to her knees and I'm speeding trying to get to the hospital still, so this is just out of the corner of my eye," Jesse Snider said. "But I'm thinking that's a bit premature. We're like 20 minutes away, what are you doing? But I'm terrified to ask her what she's doing."

Patty Snider was delivering her own baby in the passenger's seat.

"She's breathing heavy-ish, but not 'giving birth' heavy," Jesse Snider said. "She's not screaming, she's not crying, she's just — it's like a difficult yoga stretch."

After that, Parker was born.

"I'm proud of my wife, I'm proud of my daughter. I'm like, 'Way to come into an already awesome family and be like, 'yo, what up, I'm here, I'm a Snider," Jesse Snider said.

Jesse Snider, a singer, songwriter, voiceover actor and also son to "Twisted Sister" frontman Dee Snider, said the hospital put his name on the birth certificate as the person who delivered the baby, but his wife deserves all the credit.

"At this time in particular, in history, when things are as they are, isn't it nice to have something that is so good, that it beats any bad thing that might come up?" Jesse Snider said.



Photo Credit: KNBC-TV

Geyser from Hydrant Floods Poway Homes

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A driver slammed into a fire hydrant Tuesday on a Poway street, sending water into nearby homes.

A young man driving a truck crashed into the hydrant on Espola Road just after 1 a.m.

The water from the geyser gushed high into the air and over a retaining wall, flowing down a hillside into two homes on the other side of the wall.

One man who lives on Pinefield Road said he heard a loud crash and then the sound of water.

He and his family jumped into action, trying to stop the damage.

“Watching the water rise up, trying to prevent it from coming in the house but it came in anyway,” Ed Tubao said.

Tubao said he had just recently refinished the floors in his kitchen six months ago.

His backyard is full of mud, he said.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

7 to Watch: Rio 2016 Olympics Day 4 Highlights

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NBC 7 looks over the massive schedule of events from the 2016 Rio Olympics for Tuesday, August 9 and brings you seven moments to watch:

Michael Phelps Swims for First Individual Gold

A rejuvenated Michael Phelps competes in the 200m butterfly final, an event where he took silver in 2012.

If he wins gold, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history will add to a total that includes 19 gold medals, two silver and two bronze.

How to Watch: Watch Phelps continue his gold medal quest live on your smartphone or desktop computer. The event will air live on NBC at 6 p.m. PT.

Biles and Company Shoot for Gold

It’s not easy being the favorites. Now Simone Biles, Aly Raismsan, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian look to defend Team USA's 2012 title.

The team is headlined by Biles, who could win as many as five gold medals in Rio. The 4-foot 9 gymnast has dominated the sport since her debut in 2013 and is the first female gymnast since 1974 to win four consecutive all-around titles at the U.S. national championships.

How to Watch: Watch Biles and Team USA go for gold live on your smartphone or desktop computer. The event will air at noon PT.

Diving: Can USA Catch the Chinese?

Team USA’s Amy Cozad and Jessica Parratto aim to hang with the world’s best during the synchronized diving competition.

Since its introduction at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the women’s synchronized 10m platform diving competition has been dominated by the Chinese. It’s a streak Cozad and Parratto hope ends in Rio.

How to Watch: Watch Cozad and Parratto continue their journey live on your smartphone or desktop computer. The event airs at noon PT.

Women's Soccer Closes Out Pool Play

Carli Lloyd and Team USA close out preliminary round matches against Colombia in their final match of the group stage.

The Colombian squad has found some success on the international stage since the 2012 Olympics, but the U.S. remains heavy favorites in this contest.

How to Watch: Watch Hope Solo and Team USA live on your smartphone or desktop computer. The event will air at 3 p.m. PT.

Can Ledecky's Dominance Continue?

Katie Ledecky attempts to continue her reign in the 200m freestyle with an Olympic win while defending Olympic 100m freestyle champion Nathan Adrian begins his quest to defend his title.

One of the breakout moments of the London games was when Adrian beat Australia’s James Magnussen by one one-hundreth of a second (0.01) to bring home gold.

How to Watch: Catch Ledecky, Adrian and the rest of Team USA compete for gold live on your smartphone or desktop computer. The event airs at 6 p.m. PT.

Reunited and Eyeing Gold

Reunited and it feels so good. Ten years after splitting up, the tandem of Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena have come back together to form the top U.S. men’s beach volleyball team.

The American beach volleyball duo kept their momentum going, beating Mexico for their second win in a row. Their final pool match is Thursday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

Track Star, Football Player Lead U.S. Rugby

The U.S. men’s rugby team are the defending Olympic champions – even though that last gold medal came nearly a century ago. Rugby returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1924, and America is represented by a fun, ragtag team featuring a former track sprinter (Carlin Isles), an NFL safety (Nate Ebner) and captained by a UK expat (Madison Hughes). They face Argentina and Brazil on Tuesday to start pool play.

Known as the “fastest man in rugby”, Isles was originally a college football player and then a professional sprinter. Isles kept his Olympic aspirations afloat by switching to rugby in 2012 after watching footage of the sport on the Internet.

The U.S. lost its first pool match of the Olympic rugby sevens tournament after Argentina scored on the final play. The squad plays again at 3 p.m. PT.



Photo Credit: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press
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6 Hurt in Explosion at City Heights Apartment Complex

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Six people were hospitalized Tuesday following an explosion and fire at a City Heights apartment complex that is a home for many disabled people.

Among the injured were three residents who suffered smoke inhalation, two firefighters and one police officer.

Residents of the complex located at Menlo and Orange avenues evacuated immediately after hearing the blast at 3:18 a.m. Because the apartment building is a home for disabled persons, San Diego Fire-Rescue officials said many of the residents needed assistance from firefighters and police.

SDFD spokesperson Lee Swanson said one firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and one was treated for a minor burn. The police officer was hospitalized with smoke inhalation, he added.

The force of the explosion blew out windows in several units.

Firefighters said the tenant in one apartment was smoking near an oxygen tank, causing the fire.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Md. Hospital Clearing Out NICU

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Prince George's Hospital Center in Maryland is clearing babies from its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after three babies tested positive for a bacteria that can cause a potentially deadly infection.

Two babies recently died in the NICU, a hospital spokeswoman said. But Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carnell Cooper said those deaths are unrelated to the infection. 

"There has been no clear relationship that we found between the deaths and the bacteria," he said. 

Babies in the NICU "often have a multitude of conditions that put them at risk for dying," Cooper said.

Hospital officials say three infants tested positive for the bacteria pseudomonas but were found to be "clinically asymptomatic for any active infection with the bacterium."

A total of nine infants are being moved to other hospitals.

"While the investigation into the positive bacterium cultures is ongoing by qualified experts, our top immediate priority is the safe and efficient transfer of patients and providing support to our NICU families and staff," the Cheverly, Maryland, hospital said in a statement.

Pseudomonas infections can cause ear infections, skin rashes and mild illnesses in healthy people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But the infections can cause severe illness or death in people with weakened immune systems, the CDC says. About 400 deaths per year are attributed to drug-resistant pseudomonas infections, the CDC said in a 2013 report

The hospital spokeswoman did not say when the the pseudomonas bacteria was detected or when the two babies died. 

Prince George's Hospital Center is working with the state and county health departments and the University of Maryland School of Medicine to determine the source of the bacteria, hospital officials said.

Pseudomonas bacteria often can be transmitted through water, hospital officials said. 

A Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) representative said the water agency had not been contacted regarding any potential contamination in water pipes at the hospital. 

WSSC does not test for the presence of pseudomonas, the agency said in a statement. Water at sampling location "a few minutes away" in Cheverly tested negative on Aug. 3 for coliform and was found to have the correct level of chlorine, WSSC said.

The hospital stopped using water in the unit last week, hospital officials said. 

Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker will monitor the situation, he said in a statement. 

"I am confident that the healthcare professionals who are handling this matter, which I understand is fairly common in hospitals, will ensure that the health and welfare of the hospital’s patients is not compromised," he said.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBC Washington

Weightlifter Wins Emotional Gold, Retires in Rio

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Nobody can say Colombian weightlifter Óscar Figueroa didn’t leave it all on the platform.

In an emotional finish to his Olympic career, the 33-year-old Figueroa bid farewell to weightlifting after winning his country’s first gold of the Rio Games on Monday night.

Having already clinched gold in the men’s 62 kg (136.6 lbs) weight class with a total lift of 318 kg (701.1 lbs), Figueroa just missed a clean and jerk attempt of of 179 kg (394.6 lbs), which would have broken his own Olympic record of 177 kg set at the 2012 London Games, where he took home a silver with a total lift of 317 kg.

Eyes full of tears, the four-time Olympian raised his arms in thanks to a roaring crowd on his home continent, then fell to his knees and took off his shoes, leaving them on the platform in front of him in weightlifting’s traditional signal of retirement from the sport. Shoes removed, he kissed one of the sets of the plates on the barbell and took a bow.

Figueroa’s gold medal effort was split between a 142 kg lift in the snatch and a 176 kg clean and jerk. Indonesia’s Eko Yuli Irawan took silver with a total lift of 312 kg and Kazakhstan’s Farkhad Kharki secured the bronze with a combined lift of 305 kg.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Driver in Deadly Lakeside DUI Crash Sentenced to 11 Years

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A young woman who pleaded guilty to a DUI crash that killed a grandmother and seriously injured the victim’s husband in Lakeside last fall will spend the next 11 years behind bars, a San Diego judge ruled Tuesday.

As part of a plea agreement, Katie Ellison McGrosso, 22, was given a stipulated sentence of 11 years and eight months in the deadly Sept. 25, 2015 DUI crash that claimed the life of El Cajon native Lorraine Kennedy, 55.

According to prosecutors, McGrosso – 21 years old at the time of the crash – got behind the wheel of her car after drinking beer, vodka, sake and Fireball.

As McGrosso drove in the 12000 block of Woodside Avenue near La Palapa Mexican Restaurant, she struck Kennedy and Kennedy's husband. The couple, who were visiting from Texas, were out to dinner with relatives and were walking across the street when they were hit.

Kennedy was impaled by McGrosso’s vehicle, prosecutors said. Her husband was thrown into the air. Family members, including Kennedy’s son, Travis Kennedy, rushed to the couple’s aid.

Travis tried to save his mother’s life by giving her CPR but he testified that he felt Kennedy’s pulse stop moments after the crash.

McGrosso was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers who said she was driving fast without her lights on. An officer said McGrosso’s speech was slurred and her car smelled of alcohol.

She initially pleaded not guilty to four felony counts, including second-degree murder. At that time, her maximum sentence was 21 years to life in prison.

Later, McGrosso changed her plea to guilty on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI causing bodily injury.

As witnesses testified at McGrosso's hearing earlier this year, she sobbed. At her sentencing Tuesday, she hung her head low, her long hair covering half of her face.

McGrosso had a prior DUI when she was 17 years old, for which she spent six months at Alcoholics Anonymous classes, prosecutors said.

When Kennedy’s son spoke with NBC 7 in late September 2015, he said his mother “had the biggest heart” and was his best friend. He said Kennedy would be fondly remembered by her loved ones as a loving, kind and caring woman and mother.

Travis spoke at McGrosso's sentencing Tuesday, recounting the heartache of his family. Between tears, Travis talked about what an amazing, forgiving woman his mother was.

"She was compassionate, loving, caring," he said. "She would take the time to talk to anyone. She loved life and wanted to spread that love."

He told McGrosso that even for her, his mother would be there, because she was just that kind.

Speaking directly to McGrosso, Travis added: "You took a best friend away from a lot of people. There is no justification for why you chose to drive drunk that night."

At that point, McGrosso cried, wiping her face with a tissue.

Following the sentencing hearing, NBC 7 spoke with Travis who said McGrosso's family members have offered their sincere apologies to his family several times, but McGrosso herself has never said she was sorry.

San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Steven Schott said prosecutors were pleased with McGrosso's sentencing. Schott said the family wanted justice and today, they got that.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego
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Images Suggest China Might Be Militarizing Disputed Islands

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Recent satellite photographs show China appears to have built reinforced aircraft hangars on its holdings in the disputed South China Sea, NBC News reports.

Pictures taken in late July show the hangars constructed on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratly islands have room for any fighter jet in the Chinese air force, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in its recent report.

There is no evidence that Beijing has deployed military aircraft to these outposts apart from a brief visit by a military transport plane earlier this year, but the report suggests that could soon change.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims.


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Olympic Diving Pool Turns Green

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The diving pool at the Rio Olympics has turned green, and inquiring minds -- like silver-medal-winning U.S. diver David Boudia -- aren't sure why.

Tom Daley, who won bronze for Great Britain in Rio, is equally puzzled.

The women's synchronized 10m platform finals went on as planned Tuesday despite the green water, with the Chinese duo of Chen Ruolin and Liu Huixia coming out on top.

Here's an image of what it looked like from above during Tuesday's competition:

And here is what it looked like on Monday:

This is the first Olympics since Athens in 2004 that the diving events are being held at an outdoor pool, so there is a bigger chance of something like this happening than if this was an indoor venue in a climate-controlled environment.

We'll update this story as soon as an official cause for the green tint becomes available.



Photo Credit: NBCOlympics.com
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Funeral Mass to Be Held for Local Priest, Community Leader

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A Funeral Mass will be held for a prominent local Catholic leader who was known for his work in the community.

Rev. Henry Rodriguez Jr. died suddenly on Aug. 4 from pneumonia. He was 61 years old. 

Rodriguez was ordained for the diocese on July 12, 1986 and spent his career serving in San Diego.

He served as associate pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista from 1986 to 1989. He then became the associate pastor at St. Jude Shrine of the West in San Diego's Southcrest neighborhood in 1989, and later, in 1997, became the pastor there. He served as pastor until 2005. 

Most recently, he served as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Carmichael, California.  

As a Church liaison, Rodriguez worked often with the San Diego Police Department and served as the chaplain for the SDPD and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. He also served as a chaplain at Mercy Hospital and hospice care. 

In addition to his work with the church, Rodriguez spent many hours volunteering in the community. He was a familiar face at local street festivals and special events, where he would often speak. Rodriguez served in a leadership role at the San Diego Organizing Project and worked with other community organizations. 

He also worked with the LGBTQ community in spiritual outreach. 

A vigil will be held at 7 p.m. on Aug. 10 at St. Jude Shrine of the West, located at 1129 South 38th Street.

A Funeral Mass will be held the following day at 10 a.m. at the same location. A burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. 



Photo Credit: San Diego Catholic Diocese

Not the First Time Homeless Killed with Spikes in San Diego

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series of attacks on homeless men, where the men were attacked with spikes, is not the first time in San Diego history that homeless victims have been attacked in a nearly identical way. 

In July, five homeless victims -- three of whom died -- were attacked while sleeping across the San Diego region. Some of the victims were attacked with railroad spikes, according to a Deputy District Attorney. 

But in 1984, two homeless men sleeping on sidewalk benches in downtown San Diego were stabbed, one fatally, with an eight-inch tapered steel spike found impaled in their heads, police sources confirm to NBC 7 San Diego. 

The men were sleeping near the intersection of Fifth and Island avenues and attacked in the early morning hours before dawn.

According to a San Diego Union report, a victim later identified as Eugene Addison staggered into the Rescue Mission, which was located at the 500 block of Fifth Avenue, to get help around 4:45 a.m. The victim sought help immediately after the attack, which he survived, despite being impaled in the head by the object.

Former San Diego Police Officer Dave Walker was working the downtown patrol when a homeless man stumbled to the 500 block of Fifth Avenue with an eight-inch spike driven into his skull.

"When he walked up to my car, I really believed he had his finger stuck in his ear and I was just going to ask him, 'hey what's the problem?' and then I very rapidly realized there was a metal spike, he was holding onto a metal spike... basically like this ... that was stuck in the side of his head," he recalled.

Minutes later, police found a body lying on the sidewalk near the intersection of Fifth and Island. The man had an apparent spike wound through his ear and later died. Police identified 29-year-old Mallin Allen Weaver, a transient, as the deceased victim.

Former Homicide Lt. Paul Ybarrando said the weapon in the 1984 case ended up being a “marlin spike" and not a “railroad tie," but he called the similarities in the cases “highly unusual.”

Defendant Jon Guerrero, charged in the series of July killings, would have been around seven at the time of the 1984 attacks, making him too young to be considered a suspect in those cases, according to police sources. 

Guerrero, 39, of San Diego, initially faced three counts of first degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson, but in court last week a judge suspended all criminal proceedings until Guerrero could get a psychological evaluation. 

Public Defender Danesh Tandon, who represents Guerrero, said his client has an "extensive" mental health history. 

"My client is severely mentally ill and there are going to be further court hearings regarding his ability to stand trial," he said, adding that he could not elaborate.

Three of the Guerrero's victims died from their injuries. Two victims were expected to survive.

Officials found more railroad spikes in Guerrero's backpack and at his apartment, Harvey said. 

If charged and convicted, Guerrero faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

There is also a special circumstance in that more than one homicide occurred in a series, so he could face the death penalty, according to Harvey. 

Guerrero is due back in court on Oct. 9 for a competency hearing. 

Ybarrando said one victim from the 1984 attacks survived and even worked at one point for the City of San Diego in the police equipment garage. NBC 7 San Diego has been unable to track him down.

The 1984 homicide case was never solved.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Gymnastics Gold: Why Are They Called the Final Five?

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There was the Magnificent 7 and the Fierce Five.  

Now, the Final Five will go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic gymnastics teams in history.

The U.S. women’s team — comprised of Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Aly Raisman — handily defeated their competition Tuesday in Rio to capture gold. Immediately after winning, the group announced that they will forevermore be known as the Final Five.

So what’s up with that name?

The name is a nod to national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, who will be stepping down after the Olympics and will leave a legacy of gymnastics excellence that will be hard to follow.

"Every good thing comes to an end," Karolyi told TODAY’s Hoda Kotb a few days before her final team won gold. "Gymnastics is really my hobby, ever since I was twenty-something. This is my 11th Olympic Games, so I think I beat the record and now it’s time to give the torch to the young generation."

But there's even more to the Final Five name.  It also refers to a big change to Olympic gymnastics that is in store for the 2020 Games in Tokyo. The International Gymnastics Federation announced last year that team event rosters will be cut from five gymnasts to four.

This continues a recent tradition of fewer team members in the team event. The Magnificent 7 from the Atlanta Games was named as such because there were seven members.

But in Sydney in 2000 that number decreased to six, and stayed that way in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. In London, the size was decreased to the current five-person team.

So, alas, the 2016 squad is known as the Final Five.

The rule change will, however, open up a new list of name possibilities for the 2020 Games.

Since Fab Five was roundly scoffed at in London due to a certain Michigan basketball team’s claim to fame, could we see a Fab Four in Tokyo?

Check out reaction to the Final Five nickname below:



Photo Credit: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press
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Upgrades Coming to MTS Bus Shelters Throughout County

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The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System has begun installing the first of 600 new bus shelters in San Diego County.

The 600 shelters will replace the 450 shelters already in place throughout the county. MTS also has more than 1,800 bus stop benches assembled and ready for installation.

The first 50 shelters will be installed in the following locations:

  • City Heights and College Area: 8
  • Pacific Beach: 8
  • Gaslamp Quarter, East Village and the Broadway Corridor: 16
  • Southeast San Diego: 9
  • San Ysidro and Otay mesa: 8
  • Clairemont: 1

All shelters will be replaced within the next five years, and the cost of the replacement project will total $6.4 million. The new benches are expected to be in place in the next 12 months and will cost $1.5 million.

Shelter features include solar and LED lighting, trash and recycling receptacles, aluminum benches and a water-shedding roof design that keeps rain runoff from the front and side edges.

According to MTS, major capital investments accounted for the funding including $54 million toward new bus facilities in the South Bay and East County, and $660 million toward a five-year Trolley reconstruction project.

Both the shelters and benches are being built by Total Manufacturing, based in Corona.



Photo Credit: San Diego MTS

4 New Zika Cases in Florida

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The number of cases of Zika has risen in Miami-Dade County one day following a suspected case of non-travel related Zika in Palm Beach County.

Governor Rick Scott announced Tuesday four new locally transmitted cases in the Miami area.

This brings the total number of people with locally transmitted Zika to 21.

"All four cases are located in the same, small area of Wynwood that is less than one square mile," Governor Scott said at a news conference in Live Oak, Florida.

The Florida Department of Health believes active transmissions are only taking place within the identified Zika Zone in Wynwood.

During the news conference, Governor Scott also called on Congress and President Obama to come to an agreement on Zika funding.

Congress is currently in recess. Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton, who visited Zika-stricken Wynwood Tuesday, has urged Congress to reconvene to push through a Zika bill.

"This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida -- this is a national issue," Scott said.

More than $26 million in state funds has been allocated to fight Zika in Florida.

Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited a medical clinic in Wynwood Tuesday, where she pushed for emergency funding in the Zika fight.



Photo Credit: AP

Woman Sentenced for Cold Case Killing of U.S. Marine

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A woman convicted of first degree murder for her role in the slaying of a U.S. Marine Corporal shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve in 1991 has been sentenced. 

Kimberly Andrews, 40, was sentenced to 26 years to life behind bars Monday by Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman for her role in Cpl. Lindell Mitchell's cold case death. 

Mitchell was spending time with some of his fellow Marines at a gathering at his apartment on Christmas Eve when the crime happened, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Andrews and her friends were invited to the get together and were at the apartment that night. 

Andrews and Mitchell's roommate got into an argument at the gathering and Andrews threatened the Marines, saying she would be back with others to shoot up the home, the U.S. Attorney said. 

Later that night, a group of men stormed into Mitchell's apartment, breaking down the door and ultimately shooting Mitchell in the back. He died as a result of his injuries. 

Investigators could not identify most of those responsible for the crime at first and the case went cold for more than two decades. 

However, in 2012, the case was cracked open when a joint investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) found new leads. New signs pointed detectives to Andrews, who was later arrested in Louisiana in July 2014. 

Prosecutors say Andrews had Mitchell killed in his home. 

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis praised the cold case homicide unit in their role in bringing closure to the victims' loved ones. 

“It took more than two decades for the defendant to be held responsible for her actions, but ultimately justice was served,” Dumanis said in a statement.

In the process of their investigation, detectives also arrested James Wesley Noble, 59, in October for his role in the crime. Noble has been charged with first degree murder. His case is set to go to trial on Oct. 17. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
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