The family of a black man shot and killed by police in El Cajon will talk about the high-profile case Thursday.

Rev. Shane Harris, president of the San Diego Chapter of the National Action Network (NAN), said the family of Alfred Olango will speak at NAN’s House of Justice on Moore Street at 1 p.m.

The family will address their next steps in the deadly police shooting of their loved one. Harris said NAN will also announce plans for a unity rally for Olango, which is set to take place Saturday in El Cajon.

Other community leaders and civil rights attorneys are expected to stand with the family at their news conference Thursday. NBC 7 will provide a livestream of the event on our website.

Olango was shot and killed by two officers with the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) on Sept. 27 in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 800 block of Broadway.

His sister had called authorities seeking help because her brother was “not acting like himself,” police said.

According to the ECPD, Olango was reported to be “acting erratically” and did not follow orders to remove his hands from the pockets of his pants when approached by two officers.

At one point during the encounter, police said Olango pulled an object from his pocket and pointed it at officers while assuming a “shooting stance.”

That object has now been identified by police as a four-inch-long vaping device used for smoking. That vaping device was recovered at the scene by officers.

As Olango pointed the object at the officers, one officer deployed a Taser while the second officer fired multiple rounds from his gun at the man, critically striking him.

Olango’s loved ones have said he suffered from some sort of mental illness. His specific condition is unknown.

The ECPD said officers called PERT, a psychiatric emergency response team, to help with Olango before their encounter with him, but that team was not immediately available because it was responding to another call in the area.

ECPD Chief Jeff Davis said the officers involved in the deadly shooting each have 21 years of service as police officers.

The Olango family’s attorney, Dan Gilleon, said the officer who fired on Olango, Richard Gonsalves, has a history of misconduct on the job.

The killing of Olango became the latest case in a disturbing series of highly-publicized police shootings of black men nationwide that have heightened racial tensions across America.

Olango’s shooting has prompted protests on the streets of El Cajon as supporters of the nationwide Black Lives Matter movement seek answers.

Local civil rights leaders have called for a federal investigation into the case and for the ECPD to release the full video of the encounter, which was captured on the cell phone of a witness.

The ECPD released a still image from the video, which they said shows Olango in that “shooting stance,” pointing the object at the officers.

Harris and other community leaders against the shooting have said the photo shows only one side of the story and claim it is being used by police to frame a narrative of what transpired between the officers and Olango.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells promised Wednesday that a thorough and transparent investigation into the police shooting was underway. Wells said three agencies were investigating: the ECPD, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office and the FBI.

Meanwhile, more information about Olango's life emerged this week. On Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the agency had tried twice over the years to deport Olango to his native Uganda.

Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra went on strike Friday evening, minutes after they were scheduled to perform for an Opening Night gala at the Kimmel Center.

The vote took place inside the performance center shortly before the event's 7 p.m. start time. Carrying signs and, for some, instruments, the musicians loudly made their way through the the center to Broad Street where they began to picket.

A few of the musicians played their instruments as concert attendees filed out of the the hall.

In a statement, the Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians said the strike is not a "greedy search for ever more money," but rather a stand for fair compensation.

"Over the past nine years, we have endured multiple cuts to our wages, pension, and working conditions in the hopes that our sacrifices would give the Association time to rebuild and restore us to our proper status," the statement read in part.

The Philadelphia Orchestra filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011 and emerged a year later. The 116-year-old institution is one of America's oldest and most acclaimed orchestras.

Musicians were working on a one-year contract that recently expired. They continued to work as negotiations continued, but those talks broke down Friday.

Under the orchestra's offer, musician's annual base salary would have been $127,608 a year with two percent increases for three years. A profit sharing fund would also have been created, officials said.

The musicians union said they are compensated much less than players in comparable ensembles like the Boston Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony.

"If a talented musician has to decide between auditioning for Philadelphia or Boston or San Francisco, which orchestra will they choose?" the group wrote. "We can no longer remain silent while we continue in a downward spiral."

Earlier Friday, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra went on strike after rejecting a proposed 15 percent pay cut and pension and staffing reductions.

The Philadelphia Orchestra's weekend performances have been canceled. Contract negotiations are expected to resume on Monday.

A Prince William County, Virginia, teen is headed to court after being charged in a dispute over a carton of milk, according to the Washington Post.

Ryan Turk, 14, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and petit larceny after being accused of stealing a 65-cent carton of milk and pushing a school resource officer. The incident occurred at Graham Park Middle School on May 10.

Turk said he forgot to get his milk the first time through the lunch line and just went back to grab it, the Post reports. He said as a recipient of free lunches at the school, he felt he was just doing what he did every day.

Authorities told the Post that a school resource officer saw Turk take the milk and accused him of stealing it. When the student did not cooperate with a trip to see the principal, he was arrested and charged.

"No one needs to be punished for stealing a 65-cent carton of milk," Emmett Robinson, the family's attorney told the Post. "This officer treats kids like they’re criminals, and guess what happens — they’re going to become criminals."

Shamise Turk, Ryan’s mother, alleges Ryan was discriminated against and targeted because he is a black teenager who didn’t want to go with the officer, who she said was being unfair, according to the Post. The officer and principal involved are also black.

Phil Kavits, a Prince William County schools spokesman, said that he could not comment on the specifics of the incident but that it is not a race-related issue, noting "all the key parties involved, including the principal and the police officer, are African-American.”

"The staff members are well known in our highly diverse community for their dedication and caring approach to all students,” Kavits added.

The Washington Post generally does not identify minors charged with misdemeanor crimes, but Ryan Turk and his family opted to speak publicly to bring attention to the matter.

Philadelphia police officers fired 109 shots at a Cobbs Creek father who went on a stabbing spree in his neighborhood Wednesday night.

The sheer number of rounds that whizzed down a residential street concerns the department's top brass, Commissioner Richard Ross said Friday.

A number of bullets sprayed two homes at the intersection of Cobbs Creek Parkway and Webster Street. They also took down 32-year-old Christopher Sowell.

Police said Sowell snapped Wednesday evening, choked his daughter, stabbed his young son and a friend and then assaulted a woman and slit the throat of a elderly neighbor after barging into her home. All victims remain hospitalized, Ross said. The three stabbing victims remain in critical condition.

Nine officers opened fire on Sowell, whose daughter believed he under the influence of drugs, after he walked out of the neighbor's home and failed to listen to their commands, according to investigators. The medical examiner has not yet said how many times Sowell was hit.

The standard service weapon for Philadelphia officers is a Glock handgun. Depending on the caliber of the bullet, the gun can fire up to 17 rounds before needing a new magazine.

Investigators said police thought Sowell was pulling a gun from his pocket when they opened fire. The initial dispatch information they received reported that the children had been shot, not stabbed, Ross said.

"They had every reason to believe that he was armed with a gun because even the officers who broadcasted that they were headed to the hospital with the victims, they believed the children were shot," Ross said.

A weapon was not found on or around Sowell's body, but a cell phone was.

Danny Sowell, a man alleging to be Christopher Sowell's brother in a Facebook post, admonished police for killing him and the media for describing the man in a negative light.

"My brother is not no killer, he not no menace...he a teddy bear. He'd do anything for you," Danny Sowell wrote in a post. "He just got on some bad s--t, man."

No one else on the block was injured by gunfire, but another resident being hurt by friendly fire is central to Ross' worry.

He said officers could have fallen victim to "contagious shooting" -- where they followed each other in discharging their weapons.

"Other officers hear that gun fire and they believe they are under fire. And they return fire. And in this case firing multiple times," Ross said.

Ross said there may be a training issue that needs to be addressed.

The officers who opened fire have not yet spoken to Internal Affairs investigators about what transpired. The department carries out an investigation every time an officer uses their service weapon.

The officers involved were identified as: Anthony Britton, a 17 year veteran; Jeremy Olesik, a 9 year veteran; Michael Kane, Jr., a 9 year veteran; Thomas Thompson, a 1 year veteran; Walton Scott, a 2 year veteran; Ronald Green, a 19 year veteran; Adrian Hustler, a 9 year veteran; Richard Edwards, a 8 year veteran; and Timothy Moebius, a 3 year veteran.

The department is currently undertaking reality-based training where officers are put in a number of real-world scenarios to see how they react. Ross said 1,000 officers have gone through the program and it specifically focuses on "contagious shooting."

"They have to maintain their ability to hold their gunfire while the officer next to them is firing simultaneously," Ross said.

A dual investigation into the stabbing and the police-involved shooting are ongoing.

The lights have been turned off at Petco Park until next season. The Padres were unable to sweep the Dodgers, losing 9-4 in this evening’s game. However they still walked away on top winning two out of the three game series to end their 2016 season at home.

While many of the players who were out there this evening will be returning to Petco Park come next April one man who some may consider part of the team, hung up his head set and put away his play book for the final time at Petco Park.

Dick Enberg, a hall of fame broadcaster, primary play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres, or as many fans may recall, the voice behind the famous "Oh My."

Enberg called his final game in a place where he has grown all too familiar with over the past seven years, Petco Park.

Though he may be setting aside the play book, he has made a permanent mark at Petco Park. This evening prior to the game Enberg was honored with the “Dick Enberg Broadcast Booth”, as well as a standing ovation from both Padres and Dodgers fans.

The impact Enberg has made on baseball fans and sports fans for that matter could be seen though the faces of the players, fans in the crowd, and fellow announcers. Needless to say the legendary announcer will always be able to call Petco Park a home away from home

A man suing a northeast Ohio police department alleges his rights were violated by an officer who slammed his head into a cruiser's windshield with enough force to crack the glass.

Dashcam video of the September 2014 arrest, obtained by NBC affiliate WKYC, shows 32-year-old Pele Smith, being escorted to the patrol car by four Loraine police officers while handcuffed. Smith's head then violently hits the windshield. The glass cracks from the impact.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Smith is heard saying as he is held on the car’s hood.

He was treated at Mercy Regional Medical Center for facial injuries, WKYC reported.

Smith was later charged with "tampering with evidence, obstructing official business and resisting arrest. In a plea deal with prosecutors, Smith pleaded guilty and received probation," according to court records WKYC reviewed.

Last month, Smith filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and several officers.

In his lawsuit, Smith says that Lorain Officer Zachary Ferenec, who was walking Smith to the cruiser and pushed him into the windshield, used excessive force during a 2014 arrest that he claims was warrantless.

"It’s unbelievable. It’s sad. It’s frightening that an individual while in handcuffs has something like that happen to them,” Mark Petroff, an attorney representing Smith, told WKYC.

Smith also alleges that three other Lorain officers at the scene did not intervene and that one of the officers, identified in the lawsuit as Michael Gidich, got in the back of Ferenec’s cruiser and “began to taunt and insult the bleeding [Smith]” while being transported in the patrol car for treatment.

The video does not show the beginning of the traffic stop.

Lorain police Capt. Roger Watkins said Smith swallowed suspected drugs and struggled with officers during the arrest, The Associated Press reported. He says the slamming of Smith's head into the windshield was unintentional.

In a statement, Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera said "During the arrest and Mr. Smith’s active resistance, he was placed on the hood of the police unit to gain control and conduct a search, as per policy." Rivera called Smith a "violent drug trafficker" and said the cautioned "observers to not rush to judgment relative to the actions of the police on scene."

But according to the Lorain County Clerk of Courts website, Smith has no felony convictions for violent crimes. He has prior convictions for drug offenses and possessing a firearm.

WKYC says it has requested all records associated with Smith’s arrest and any subsequent internal investigations. Lorain police have not provided any records related to the incident, the station says.

A fire was burning a boat in Chula Vista's bay on Friday morning.

Smoke was visible from Coronado Bay Road across from Loews Coronado Bay resort. The fire started at just after 10 a.m.

This is the second boat fire in the San Diego area on Friday morning. The other occured at Shelter Island when flames ripped through a docket boat at 5:30 a.m.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Businesses were told to close early on Friday afternoon just before the El Cajon Police Department released video of the shooting of Alfred Olango.

Downtown El Cajon Business Partners issued a statement on its website encouraging all downtown businesses to close at 2 p.m., and remain closed until at least Sunday morning.

It was the latest response to protests that have ignited the small city east of San Diego since the unarmed black man was shot by El Cajon police on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s my hope that nothing happens, but we all need to exercise an abundance of caution,” Daryl Priest, the president of Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, said in a statement.

As El Cajon police and San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis released surveillance and cellphone video of the shooting of an unarmed black, about a dozen demonstrators congregated at a nearby parking lot.

The protesters huddled around and watched the video on their cellphones. Afterward, several expressed outrage over the shooting.

"To me, I seen someone stalking their prey -- got in on him and killed him," said protester Christopher Jackson. "That's what I seen."

Friday afternoon, the small number of protesters in El Cajon were peaceful.

In the evening, the protestors began marching down the road at Mollison and Broadway. El Cajon Police issued a traffic advisory for drivers to avoid the area.

Protesters chanted "no justice, no peace" as they marched down the road, blocking an intersection in the area. Police were also in the area, monitoring the demonstrations. 

The protests were peaceful.

Earlier in the day, Cajon Valley Union School district released students early from class as a safety precaution. A number of community events were also canceled this week.

Protests turned violent on Thursday night, the third day of protests, as some demonstrators broke car windows and, in one case, pushed a man off a motorcycle.

The exchange prompted police and sheriff's deputies in riot gear to move in closer to the protesters. Law enforcement officials ordered the crowd to disperse.

Protesters then began throwing water bottles and beers cans at officers and refused to leave. Officers on scene then deployed pepper-spray balls.

Bombs knocked out one of besieged Aleppo's last remaining hospitals Saturday, a nurse inside the facility told NBC News.

Abo Rajab said two crudely made barrel bombs hit M10 — one in front of the hospital and other behind — at 11 a.m. (4 a.m. ET). Within two hours at least one cluster bomb struck the facility, he said.

While there were no casualties, all the patients had to be evacuated, Rajab said by telephone.

A worker with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) reported a similar attack. NBC News was not able to independently confirm the separate accounts but they appeared consistent.

Russian-made cluster bombs — weapons that kill indiscriminately and inflict long-lasting damage — were used in an attack on the same hospital earlier this week, a video obtained by NBC News appeared to show.

Sprouts Farmers Market has leased 32,688 square feet in San Diego’s Clairemont neighborhood, with plans to open a new store in fall 2017, CoStar Group reported.

The supermarket chain will occupy the space being vacated by locally based grocer Keil’s Food Stores, which recently announced that it is closing in October at 3015 Clairemont Drive. Keil’s will continue to operate its store on Jackson Drive in San Diego’s San Carlos neighborhood.

According to a Keil’s notification filing with the state Employment Development Department on Sept. 1, there are 48 workers at the Clairemont location who will be laid off effective Nov. 1.

CoStar Group said the new Spouts will anchor the larger 127,175-square-foot retail center known as Clairemont Village, at 3005-3033 Clairemont Drive. Terms were not disclosed for the lease deal.

Sprouts was represented in the deal by Lea Clay-Park of Edge Realty Partners, and landlord Kleege Enterprises was represented by Reg Kobzi and Matt Shope of CBRE Group Inc.

Phoenix-based Sprouts has 20 current locations in San Diego County, with another upcoming new store previously announced in San Diego’s Del Sur neighborhood.

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Community activists are upset after a video tape of the controversial officer-involved shooting of an unarmed black man in El Cajon was released on Friday. They argue that the tape should have been shown to the family before it was made public.

Alfred Olango, 38, was shot during a police encounter in the parking lot of a shopping plaza on the 800 block of Broadway in El Cajon on Tuesday. His death sparked protests in the East County community of San Diego—many community activists and protesters clamoring for the release of video evidence of the shooting captured by an employee from the drive-thru of a nearby restaurant.

On Friday, the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) Chief Jeff Davis was joined by San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells in a press conference. Chief Davis announced the decision to release two video clips of the shooting.

Davis said the decision came after a concern for public safety.

One video was captured by a witness's cellphone as she worked her shift at a nearby taco shop, while the other is from one of the restaurant’s surveillance cameras. Two ECPD officers, identified as Richard Gonsalves and Josh McDaniel, can be seen approaching Olango. The video also appear to show Olango's sister, wearing nurse's scrubs, near one of the officers.

According to a Public Information Officer with the ECPD, the officer who pulled up in the police cruiser was the one who deployed the Taser while the first officer fired the shots.

But Rev. Shane Harris, President of the San Diego Chapter of the National Action Network (NAN) said Olango’s family never had a chance to see the video before it was released. He says that usually the District Attorney’s office contacts the family prior to releasing any video footage.

“I am shocked that they would go to this extent to release the tape in such a way that did not agree with the family,” Harris said.

According to the family’s attorney, they were notified the video would be shown during the press conference an hour and a half before—which Harris argued was not enough time for the family to gather all members and head to the El Cajon police station.

“It seems as though the Mayor of El Cajon, the Police Chief just jumped ahead to try to stop the protests that are going to take place and that are taking place,” Harris said. “They want peace. But what they don’t understand is that if there is no justice, there is no peace.”

Rev. Gerald Brown, Executive Director of the United African American Ministerial Action Council (UAAMAC) and Dr. André José Branch with the San Diego branch of the NAACP applauded Chief Jeff Davis and San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis for releasing the video.

But Harris said he saw both leaders as "sell-out material," adding that neither Brown nor Dr. Branch had been in contact with Olango's family.

“Today we’re saying that we do not agree with what we saw. It further affirms our fight for justice, our fight for Alfred Olango—and it further affirms that in this county, in this city, the District Attorney continues to overstep leaders who actually are in the community for those that she calls community leaders—to pull them into press conferences to affirm what she has to say," he said. "We’re heavily concerned.”

Norma Chavez-Peterson, Executive Director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties also released a statement on Friday night in response to the videos. Chavez-Peterson said they videos raised concerns regarding police response to calls that involve people of color, especially those with disabilities.

"The video raises serious questions about whether proper de-escalation tactics were used to respond to a call of a person going through a mental health crisis," Chavez-Peterson said in a statement.

The statement also read, in part: "If the department wishes to engage in real transparency and build community trust, they must release all information regarding this shooting. We call on El Cajon Police Department to release all remaining footage and all recordings of communications, including 911 calls and communications between responding officers and dispatch, leading up to the killing of Mr. Olango.

Harris said a march to the El Cajon police station was planned for Saturday, adding that Olango's family and NAN are calling for peaceful and non-violent protests.

A man was found shot to death on the streets of Otay Mesa early Saturday morning, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirmed. 

Acting Lt. Manny Del Toro, of the SDPD’s Homicide Unit, said officers received a call just before 4 a.m. from a person reporting that a man was injured in the street in the 900 block of Picador Boulevard.

When police arrived, they discovered the 48-year-old man unconscious in the street, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers and medics tried to revive him, but they couldn’t save his life.

He died at the scene.

The homicide investigation into the man’s death is ongoing but Del Toro said residents reported hearing gunfire in the area and seeing a car speed off just before police found the victim.

As of 8:15 a.m. Saturday, the SDPD said there was no description available of a potential suspect or suspects in the deadly shooting.

The man is from Imperial Beach, police said, but his name was not immediately released.

Anyone with information on the shooting can call the SDPD’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Welcome to your weekend, San Diego. Fashion, films and Oktoberfest celebrations aplenty, it’s a great weekend to explore America’s Finest – and maybe most fun – City.

Thursday, Sept. 29

Fashion Week San Diego
Times Vary (Thursday through Sunday); Multiple Locations in La Jolla
Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD) 2016 will bring couture to La Jolla with lots of events throughout the weekend. This includes the “Art & Beauty Behind Fashion” exhibit at Shane Bowden: The Gallery Thursday night, plus high-fashion runway shows at Hotel La Jolla from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the La Valencia Hotel will host the FWSD 2016 Trunk Show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where fashion lovers can shop for designer looks.

San Diego International Film Festival
Times Vary (Sept. 28-Oct. 2), Various Theaters in San Diego
Movie buffs will love this one: the San Diego International Film Festival returns this weekend, with multiple screenings each day at locations like the Geoffrey Theater, Regal Theater and ArcLight Cinemas at UTC. The fest officially begins with an 11 a.m. screening Thursday of “Crossing Bhutan,” a 60-minute film about the last Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom, Bhutan – the only county in the world to use “Gross National Happiness” as its primary yardstick for progress. The film festival will wrap up Sunday with a 7:30 p.m. screening of whichever flick wins the “Best Feature Film” category, to be announced Saturday. Tickets can be purchased for each screening for about $15 per movie, or you can buy a pass for an entire day or several days that includes all screenings.

Big Head Blues Club
7:30 p.m., California Center for the Arts Escondido
An epic blues jam session awaits Friday at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido as Big Head Todd and the Monsters join forces with Mud Morganfield, Billy Branch and Ronnie Baker Brooks for a tribute concert dedicated to music legend Willie Dixon. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online or by calling (800) 988-4253.

Modern Times Beer Dinner
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Oceana Coastal Kitchen
Oceana Coastal Kitchen (3999 Mission Blvd.) will host an evening of perfectly paired bites and beers at this four-course Modern Times Beer Dinner Thursday. The special menu includes brown sugar-cured Baja scallops paired with Modern Times’ Blazing World Amber, and New York Steak with dried apricot and black peppercorn compote paired perfectly with Modern Times’ Orderville IPA. Reps from the brewery will attend the dinner, too, explaining tasting notes and the process of brewing as attendees enjoy the evening. Tickets are $65 per person, which includes the beer pairings, food and valet parking. Reserve your spot by calling (858) 539-8635.

Friday, Sept. 30

The Art of the Brick
10 a.m., The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
“The Art of the Brick” – a collection of artworks made entirely from LEGO bricks – opens Friday at The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. Visitors can expect a 20-foot-long T-Rex dinosaur skeleton made out of LEGOs, a giant LEGO skull and reimagined, all-LEGO versions of famous art pieces like Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” The exhibit will be open daily at 10 a.m. and on display until Jan. 29, 2017. Tickets cost $29.95 for adults; $24.95 for juniors; $27.95 for seniors. Fleet Science Center members get in for $10.

Gem Faire
12 p.m. (Friday through Sunday), Del Mar Fairgrounds
More than 80 exhibitors will bust out their bling for the three-day Gem Faire at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The show runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 for a pass that’s valid all weekend; kids 11 and under get in free.

Back to School Carnival
4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Twin Oaks Elementary School
Twin Oaks Elementary School in San Marcos will host a huge ‘Back to School’ carnival Friday that includes a free concert by Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Greg Douglass (Steve Miller Band, Van Morrison, Eddie Money), performing at 6 p.m. The event, which also helps kick off the school’s fundraising season, will include carnival rides, games, activities, raffles and more live entertainment. Admission is free, and proceeds from rides and food goes right back into the school to help fuel music and arts programs. Organizers expect about 3,000 people to attend.

La Mesa Oktoberfest
4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Sept. 30); 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Oct. 1); 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Oct. 2), La Mesa Village
A long-standing tradition in the downtown Village, the 43rd annual La Mesa Oktoberfest returns Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, bringing the ultimate street fair to the East County community. As always, the event will include German beer, German food and German music and dancing aplenty. The Oktoberfest party typically draws about 100,000 revelers to La Mesa Village, as well as 100+ vendors selling their unique goods. Admission is free; bring cash for brews and bites. Also, sporting your lederhosen is not a bad idea: usually, the event includes a German costume contest.

Oktoberfest in El Cajon
Times vary (Sept. 30 to Oct. 2; and Oct. 7-9), 1017 S. Mollison Ave.
Oktoberfest in El Cajon is so nice, it happens twice. The first round of Oktoberfest runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 (4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 30; 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 1; 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 2), and returns the following weekend – Oct. 7-9 – at the same times. Hosted by the German American Societies of San Diego, Inc., this traditional Oktoberfest takes place at 1017 S. Mollison Ave. and will feature authentic German food – think pretzels and ox-on-the-spit here – a beer garden, games and family-friendly activities. Also on the agenda: live “Oom-Pah” music from the Bavarian band, Guggenbach-Buam, straight from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, performing classics like polkas, waltzes and other famous beer-drinking tunes. Raffles, games, crafts and a kids zone round out the fun. Admission is $10 for attendees 21 and up on Sept. 30, Oct. 1, Oct. 7 and Oct. 8; $5 on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. Active-duty military members and anyone under 21 gets in free.

Paula Poundstone
8 p.m., Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
Stand-up comedian, author, commentator and actress Paula Poundstone will take her show to Humphreys Concerts by the Bay on Shelter Island, bringing laughs to locals. Tickets start at $45.

Champions of Comedy: Matt Iseman
8 p.m., Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Comic Matt Iseman will perform stand-up in the Courtyard at Harrah’s Resort Southern California Friday. The event includes live music, too, at 8 p.m. Iseman takes the stage at 10 p.m. There’s a $10 cover charge for this 21+ event.

Keith Sweat in Concert
7:30 p.m., California Center for the Arts Escondido
R&B legend Keith Sweat, best known for his strings of soulful hits in the 1990s, will perform at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido Friday night. Today, he has his own studio in Atlanta where he practices his passion for discovering new artists. Tickets to Sweat’s concert range from $40 to $85.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Oktoberfest Family Fall Festival in Carlsbad
12 p.m. to 10 p.m., Holiday Park
The longest running Oktoberfest in San Diego’s North County returns to Holiday Park in Carlsbad on Oct. 1. Entertainment includes live music and dancing, costume contests and lots of activities for the kids, including a pumpkin patch, face painting and arts and crafts. Food vendors will sell German-inspired items like pretzels and strudel; a Biergarten will give revelers a perfect place to toast. Buy your ticket ahead of time for $15, which includes a German meal (bratwurst, sausage and other selections), or buy a ticket on the day of the event for $5, without the meal. Kids 10 years old and under get in free.

Double Peak Challenge 
7:30 a.m., San Elijo Hills Town Square
Runners, take your marks! At this outdoor celebration, trail runners will start at San Elijo Hills neighborhood Park and start the 1,176-foot ascent to the top of Double Peak’s summit. It’s a challenging outdoor race, but if you’re not up for the full gain, try out a 2-mile course with the whole family. Proceeds benefit the Friends of San Marcos Parks and Recreation and the San Marcos Promise. Tickets start at $15.

Pumpkin Festival Craft Fair
9 a.m., Bates Nut Farm
Start your morning this Saturday with the Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast at 7 a.m. and, for $6, enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and coffee. Then it’s off to the craft fair, where more than 80 artisans will have crafts and fine art for sale: everything from fall decorations, candles, toys and more. Don’t forget to grab a ride on the tractor, run through the straw maze or try a pony ride. Admission is free, and parking is $5.

Pacific Beachfest
9 a.m., Pacific Beach
More than 50,000 San Diegans will head out to one of Pacific Beach’s most popular annual festivals. Start the morning early on the beach, where attendees will compete in the action sports tournaments, including a two-man Pro-Am volleyball tournament and a surfing competition south of Crystal Pier. Not in the mood for sports? There will be live music on three stages, plus dozens of local vendors will have fine arts and craft displays. Admission is free.

James Adomian at American Comedy Co.
9:30 p.m., American Comedy Co. on 6th Avenue in Downtown San Diego
This Last Comic Standing finalist, known for his many characters of IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang! and Adult Swim’s Children’s Hospital, will stop in San Diego Saturday to perform stand up. Tickets start at $18.

The Producers
8 p.m., Spreckels Theatre
This Mel Brooks musical – based on the 1968 film about a scheming producer and his mousy accountant, who try to produce the biggest flop on Broadway – starts its run at the Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego Friday night. Tickets start at $40; the musical runs here through Oct. 9.

Sunday, Oct. 2

Encinitas Oktoberfest
10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mountain Vista Drive and El Camino Real
The 21st annual Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 2 at Mountain Vista Drive and El Camino Real. The free event includes a concert from a German-American band, Bavarian dancers and a street fair filled with more than 200 vendors selling crafts and unique goods. There will be activities and rides for the kids, too, plus a parade at noon. A food and refreshment tent will boast authentic Oktoberfest food, including Tarantino Gourmet Sausage dishes, plus beers from national and local breweries. Free parking is available at Flora Vista Elementary School (1690 Wandering Rd.), and a free shuttle service will take attendees directly to the festival.

PurpleStride San Diego 
7 a.m., De Anza Cove Park
Join the fight against pancreatic cancer this Sunday by getting up early and running (or walking) in this family-friendly event. The event, presented by Halozyme Therapeutics, helps raise awareness and support for the fight against cancer. Plus, there will be activities for children, entertainment, refreshments and more. A ticket for an adult timed runner starts at $35.

Bridal Bazaar
10 a.m., San Diego Convention Center
Planning your 2017 wedding? Stop by the Bridal Bazaar in Downtown San Diego. San Diego’s largest fall bridal show will give you endless ideas and inspiration for your upcoming wedding. Tickets cost $12.

Disney’s The Lion King: on Tour
1 p.m., 6:30 p.m., San Diego Civic Theater
See the Disney classic come alive on stage this weekend in San Diego. The imaginative and creative production spins together stunning visuals and unique storytelling for this Broadway spectacular. Before you go, learn about the local cast members you'll see on stage, and their unlikely path to friendship. Be sure to buy your tickets early for one of the Sunday shows, as limited tickets are available. The show runs in San Diego through early October. Tickets start at $32.50.

Tiger Style!
7 p.m., La Jolla Playhouse
If you’re looking for a homegrown theater standout to go see this weekend, check out Tiger Style! The show follows star students and siblings Albert and Jennifer Chen, who decide to take a trip from California to China in the face of their failing personal lives and adolescent achievement. Playwright Mike Lew is a La Jolla High graduate who went on to present his plays across the U.S. Tickets start at $20. Don't miss the play, in its last weekend at the Playhouse. 

Two former Southern California law enforcement officials weighed in Friday night on whether protocol was followed during the El Cajon police shooting of Alfred Olango based on video evidence released by police.

Alfred Olango, 38, was shot by officers with the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) on Tuesday in the parking lot of a shopping plaza on Broadway. His death sparked protests in the community, with many demanding police release the video evidence of the shooting.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis released the video on Friday, sparking dialogue on if the shooting was justified.

Former El Cajon Police Officer Kevin LaChapelle told NBC 7 that he viewed the video multiple times.

"The officer pretty much was following protocol," he said. "Training in the academy was pretty much like clockwork."

But Los Angles County Sheriff's Department veteran and consultant Roger Clark said he disagrees.

Clark was critical of the officer approaching Olango with gun drawn in his left hand while he says Olango backed away.

"He's trying to stay away from an officer who has a gun in hand," Clark told NBC 7. "Another thing with people who are upset, as you increase anxieties, their ability to comply decreases proportionately."

LaChapelle countered saying, "Training talks about not being afraid to unholster. Make sure you're in the ready because there are holster retention issues. There are devices on holsters built in. When you pull gun out it doesn’t slip out you have to push it forward and pull up so when you're scared or whatever or in action you could have trouble getting it out."

The video shows ECPD Officer Richard Gonsalves shadowing Olango’s movements, getting closer to him.

LaChapelle said that’s part of an officer’s training to stay focused.

However, Clark said: “If an officer has a gun in hand he should only do it if he feels there’s a credible threat. If there is, he's not going to be in the open he's going to stand in cover."

Enjoying San Diego’s dining scene is as easy as pie. This week, Eater San Diego shares details on the launch of a new sweet and savory pie shop in University Heights, and other tasty tidbits. 

Pop Pie Co. Gives Rise to New Pie Shop in University Heights
Park Boulevard is home to this new pie-centric concept that features globally-influenced savory and sweet pies which come on a butter crust, with vegan and gluten-free varieties. Pop Pie is also serving craft beer and a full range of coffee drinks. 

Brian Malarkey Launches Little Italy Cafe & Market
Local celebrity chef Brian Malarkey has opened Herb & Eatery adjacent to his upscale new restaurant, Herb & Wood. The casual cafe features an all-day menu that ranges from breakfast pastries to customizable salads and sandwiches while the market component offers everything from beer and wine to housemade gelato.

Stone Brewing Co. & Jeni's Ice Creams Host Weekend Pop-Up
Acclaimed Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams will park its Sweet Treats truck at select Stone Brewing Co. locations this weekend for a special pop-up highlighting its new limited edition flavor, the Mexican chocolate-inspired Xocorosa, created to complement the local brewery's Xocoveza stout. 

Orange County's Blackmarket Bakery Expands to 30th Street
This weekend marks the soft opening of Blackmarket Bakery, the award-winning Orange County-based bake shop's first San Diego location. This spot will offer an all-day menu that includes savory sandwiches and its signature sweets which range from cookies and tarts, to pre-made layer cakes. 

Fast-Casual Ceviche Concept Comes to East Village
Como Ceviche sails into the East Village on Oct. 1. The new quick-service eatery features a menu of traditional ceviche from countries around the world, including Peru, Cuba and Mexico. The mix of fresh seafood is available as-is, tucked into a tortilla wrap or as a rice bowl topping.

Sunday, October 2 marks the 100th birthday of the San Diego Zoo. Yes, there is going to be a party.

The San Diego Zoo’s Centennial Birthday Party will kick off Sunday at 9 a.m. with an open parade and will continue through the day with extra animal encounters and other exclusive entertainment.

A rededication of the Zoo to the children of the world will conclude a special show at the Wegeforth Bowl at 10 a.m.

The party also celebrates the launch of Kids Free, an annual event sponsored by Mission Fed that allows free admission for children 11 and younger accompanied by an adult throughout the month of October.

Saturdays and Sundays in October will feature special interactive experiences for kids, helping them connect with wildlife and nature.

Animals will also be enjoying weekend fun throughout the month. Each weekend animals in a different part of the zoo will be given pumpkins and other festive treats to eat, chew and play with.

The Zoo was founded in 1916 by Dr. Harry Wegeforth, his brother and four of his colleagues.

Who likes Legos?

Many kids do, that’s why "The Art of the Brick" exhibit at the Reuben H.  Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park is expected to be a huge hit this month.

“We’re really excited about it. It’s a world-renowned exhibition,” Nathan Young, Public Relations Director for the Fleet Science Center, told NBC 7.

That the world’s largest display of Lego art is debuting in connection with the San Diego Museum Council’s "Kids Free in October" campaign is no coincidence.

The campaign gives free admission to kids 12 and under at 40 arts, cultural and science museums in San Diego County all month long while accompanied by one full-price, paid adult. Download the museum admission coupon here.

Traditionally, participating museums see a huge jump in attendance in October.

"There’s tons of opportunity on different subject matters, it’s a great opportunity to get out with your family and enjoy these museums," said April Tellez, of the San Diego Museum Council.

The San Diego Natural History Museum is looking forward to its new exhibit this month, "Extraordinary Ideas from Ordinary People."

Judy Gradwohl, Natural History Museum President, said, “We love having kids free in October. That’s the way you create lifelong museum goers by coming as children.”

A few of the local museums participating in "Kids Free in October" include:

• Barona Cultural Center & Museum
• Birch Aquarium at Scripps
• California Surf Museum
• Cabrillo National Monument
• Fleet Science Center
• Japanese Friendship Garden
• La Jolla Historical Society
• Living Coast Discovery Center
• Maritime Museum of San Diego
• Martson House
• Museum of Making Music
• Museum of Photographic Arts
• Oceanside Museum of Art
• San Diego Air & Space Museum
• San Diego Automotive Museum
• San Diego Botanic Garden
• San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
• San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
• San Diego History Center
• San Diego Natural History Museum
• Serra Museum
• The New Children’s Museum
• The Water Conservation Garden
• USS Midway Museum
• Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
• Visions Art Museum
• Women’s Museum of California

For the full list, click here.

A man carrying some sort of hatchet or axe tried to steal money from an employee at a retail store in Mission Valley Friday night, police said.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said an unknown man in his 30s walked into The Container Store at 7097 Friars Rd. just before 8 p.m. and flashed a hatchet at an employee. He then ordered her to give him money, but the employee told him she couldn’t get into the cash register to meet his demands.

The man turned and walked out of the front door and, as he left, broke out a window at the entrance, police said. No one was hurt.

The man was last seen running south toward a nearby trolley station. He was described as 5-foot-10 with a medium build, unshaven – with a Fu Manchu-style mustache – with sandy blond hair. He wore a blue T-shirt, black shorts down to his knees, gym shoes and black gloves during the attempted robbery, the SDPD said.

Police did not immediately locate the suspect. Anyone with information on the case can call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.