Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade granted a South Florida teen's wish and showed up at her senior prom on Friday.

Nicole Muxo said that she was called up to the dance floor, where she was told that Wade was on the phone.

“So I talked to him on the phone, and as I was talking to him the doors opened and he walked out and I was completely shocked, I had no idea that he was going to even call," said Muxo, who attends Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in West Kendall. "So I was super-excited, everyone else was super-excited in there.”

Photos show Wade taking pics with the teen and others before the prom at the La Jolla Ballroom in Coral Gables. He also was snapped at the dance.

Muxo said Wade brought her flowers and then they danced.

Wade tweeted about the prom and shared photos on Twitter.

"I had a blast at Prom w @nicole_muxo... Never be 2 scared to ask.. They might just say… " Wade Tweeted.

Muxo thanked the NBA player for coming by.

"It meant a lot to me. It made my dreams come true," she said.

Initially Wade had said he wasn't aware of the YouTube video, in which Muxo makes her pitch to the NBA superstar while wearing a No 3. Wade jersey. Kanye West's "The Glory" plays in the background.

WATCH the YouTube video here.

"My senior prom is coming up, and I have everything set for a perfect night except for one thing: a perfect date," she says.

In the video she called Wade her favorite basketball player and used signs and "Prom?" written on basketballs to ask Wade to the big event.

Muxo had told NBC 6 South Florida she asked out Wade because he's her favorite player and because he's a positive role model for a lot of people.

It wasn't the first time she asked him out.

"Back when I met him last year, I asked him to Homecoming, but the season was about to start, and he had practice, so he couldn’t make it, so I thought, why not take another shot and ask him to prom?” she said.

A 1-year-old child died after being left alone in a vehicle in an elementary school parking lot, Dallas police say.

The child's mother, Vibha Marks, has been arrested on a charge of abandoning a child with serious bodily injury.

Police said someone spotted the child unattended in a car parked in the faculty parking lot at Frank Guzick Elementary School at 5000 Berridge Lane at about 1:20 p.m.

The passer-by broke the window on the vehicle, removed the child and began performing CPR, police said.

Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed that it was called to the school at about 1:30 p.m. When responders arrived, the child was unresponsive. Emergency workers continued CPR and transported the child to Baylor Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Marks, a teacher at the elementary school, was interviewed by the Dallas Police Department on Friday afternoon.

Officials with the Dallas Independent School District said Marks has been placed on administrative leave and that a letter was sent home to parents about the police presence at the school.

At 1 p.m., the temperature at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was 84 degrees. Studies of temperatures in enclosed cars shows that temperatures can rise by as much as 43 degrees in a one-hour period.

A deaf 11-year-old mini Yorkie was snatched from a yard in Hollywood and his dognappers are demanding $1,000 from his owners, who are pleading with the public to help bring their dog home.

“I’m scared for him because he’s used to being inside and cozy and cuddled with,” owner Tricia O’Kelley said, her voice quavering. “He slept with me every night for the last 11 years.”

Walter, who weighs about 5 pounds, was last seen Thursday afternoon in the family’s fenced-in backyard.

A blocked number called O’Kelley’s cellphone, which is listed on Walter’s tags, about 10:15 p.m. Thursday.

“From the second I answered the call, I knew this guy was bad news,” she said.

The man on the other end of the line told O’Kelley he wants $1,000 for the dog’s safe return. O’Kelley said she heard another man laughing in the background.

Her husband took over negotiations. The dognapper said he’d call back and hung up.

Within minutes, the blocked number called back and this time, O’Kelley’s husband, Adam Rosenblatt, put the call on speaker so the police on a second phone could hear.

The dognapper laid out his demands.

He wanted the family to create phony fliers offering a $1,000 reward for Walter’s return and listed streets on which he wanted them posted. Then, he would bring one of those posters to a Chevron station where he would exchange the dog for the cash.

Police suggested they make the fliers and meet the men at the gas station with a plain-clothed officer.

O’Kelley’s husband was in the process of hanging up the fliers when the man called back, saying he’d been lied to and that police were at the gas station.

“He said, ‘Don’t lie to me. I’m keeping your dog,’” O’Kelley said.

That last phone call at 11:15 p.m. Thursday came from a 7-Eleven payphone in North Hollywood, O’Kelley said. And that was the last time she heard from whoever has Walter.

Walter has a condition that causes his trachea to collapse, which is common for his breed.

“He’s not just some puppy,” O’Kelley said. “He needs special care.”

The family’s two young daughters – ages 2 and 4 – ate breakfast outside Friday morning in the hopes that Walter would smell the food and come home, O’Kelley said.

“It’s unbearably terrifying and heartbreaking,” she said. “The whole thing about pets and kids, they trust you to take care of them and keep them safe.”

Walter is outfitted with tags and a microchip. O’Kelley said she’s willing to pay the extortion if the men would return her dog, which she’s had since he was a puppy.

NBC4 obtained an incident report number in the case. Calls to LAPD to confirm the report had not been returned as of 8 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD Hollywood Division, which is handling the case.

A former Philadelphia police officer, once hailed as a hero and given a seat next to the first lady at a speech by President Obama, is being held on $60 million bail charged with raping two women at gunpoint and other crimes.

A source tells NBC10 former officer Richard DeCoatsworth, 27, met one of the women at a bar on North Front Street two weeks ago, then forced her into prostitution at a Days Inn hotel along Roosevelt Boulevard.

Between 2 a.m. Thursday and Friday evening, DeCoatsworth went to the woman’s home along North Howard Street in the Fishtown-Kensington area, according to the source.

Once he arrived, DeCoatsworth forced that woman and a second woman, both in their 20s, to use drugs and perform oral sex on him at gunpoint, according to the source. The alleged victims reported the assault Friday only after DeCoatsworth went home, according to police.

Police raided DeCoatsworth’s house on the 2700 block of Salmon Street in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. He was charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. Police also confiscated drugs and guns from the home, according to a source. No word yet on what kind of drugs were removed from the home.

According to court documents, bail was set at $25 million for each of the alleged victims. Another $10 million bail was set in a separate domestic violence case DeCoatsworth is now being charged with, according to investigators. Police say he assaulted his live-in girl on May 9. The $60 million bail is reportedly one of the highest set in Philadelphia history. Decoatsworth faces more than 32 crimes in all three cases.

• Criminal Court Docket - Alleged Victim 1
• Criminal Court Docket  - Alleged Victim 2
  
• Criminal Court Docket - Alleged Domestic Violence Assault

NBC10’s Cydney Long talked to one of DeCoatsworth’s neighbors who said she was relieved to hear about the former cop's arrest.

“I am scared to be saying this now but I hope he stays where he is at, he has been a thorn in the side of this neighborhood for so long,” said the woman who did not want to be identified.

DeCoatsworth was shot in the face back in 2007 when he was a rookie officer. After being shot, he managed to chase down the suspect for several blocks before collapsing. He called in enough information by radio that police were able to track down and arrest the suspect later the same day.

His heroism earned him an invitation from Vice President Joe Biden to attend President Obama’s first congressional address at the U.S. capital in February of 2009. The officer sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the address. He was also honored by his peers as a 2008 Top Cop. He was involved in two more dramatic incidents soon after.

In April of 2009, police say DeCoatsworth was jumped and attacked by a man when he tried to disperse a crowd at the Logan section of the city. During the struggle, sources say DeCoatsworth’s gun went off and hit the suspect who took off running. Another officer responding to the scene shot the suspect dead, according to sources.

In September of 2009, police said DeCoatsworth and another officer stopped a man on a motorcycle in the Kensington section of the city. While they were questioning him, a second man allegedly jumped on the motorcycle and drove at the officers. Police say DeCoatsworth shot at the suspect, who sped off. The suspect was found later at the hospital where his mother had taken him to be treated for a shotgun wound.

During the incident, local witnesses claimed the two suspects did nothing wrong and that DeCoatsworth and the other officer acted recklessly, shooting while children were nearby.

In November of 2011, Internal Affairs investigated an alleged scuffle between DeCoatsworth and another officer, according to Philly.com. The Daily News also reports he amassed nine citizen complaints, accusing him of assault, abuse and misconduct.

DeCoatsworth retired from the police force on disability back in December, 2011.

In February of 2012, an arrest warrant was issued for DeCoatsworth after he allegedly threatened a woman in Port Richmond.

BMX racer Arielle Martin is making a quiet comeback after her near-fatal injury right before last summer's Olympic Games.

Martin, 27, was injured last year only one day before leaving for London to compete as part of the U.S. BMX team. She is still trying to overcome the heartbreaking crash.

"When I lay in bed at night, I'm just thinking about overcoming it, mentally and emotionally,” she said.

It was July 30, 2012 - her birthday - when the top qualifier put on her Olympic Uniform for the first time in one final practice.

“We were flying out the next day to London so my bags were already packed,” Martin said. “And I just remember getting on the track and thinking wow, I feel amazing."

But, 45 minutes into training - the unthinkable became reality when the lifelong dream of going to the Olympics disappeared in a flash.

"My chain came off, my rear wheel locked and I went up and over the bike so I was almost in a superman position, which just exposed my liver,” she said. “I was 15 feet up in the air flying about 30 mph."

The impact almost killed her, puncturing a lung and nearly splitting her liver in half. Instead of flying to London, she spent the following two weeks in a hospital room.

The closest she hot to the games was seeing her initials on replacement Brooke Crain's hand in the finals.

"And that small little act in that moment meant the world to me,” she said.

Four surgeries later, Martin is now back competing at an elite level - not an Olympian like Crain, rather an Olympic qualifier.

Saturday will mark the first major competition on American soil for Martin since the accident, when she competes in the U.S. National Championships.

She says she is not afraid of the big jumps and has even had some spills along the way.

BMX program director Jamie Staff calls it one of the greatest comebacks the sport has ever seen is.

"The fact she even tried to comeback is one thing,” he said. “That she's had a successful comeback is another."

For Martin - the lone hurdle is overcoming a broken heart. Before London, she missed qualifying for the Beijing Olympics by a single point due to a crash.

"I hope that my experiences can show others out there you can come back from devastating injuries and still be able to do what you love and chase your dreams,” she said.

While the 2016 Olympics are a little far off, Martin is taking her comeback one pedal at a time.

The BMX National Championships at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday May 18. The event and parking are free and open to the public.

Two people were fatally shot in the head and another shot dead in the chest in weekend violence that wounded at least nine others across Chicago, according to police.

Last night’s first fatality took place at 7:24 p.m. Friday in the 7800 block of South Langely Avenue when a 17-year-old man was shot in the chest, according to Chicago police news affairs officer Jose Estrada.

The man, identified as Clifton Barney, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Barney was reportedly on the street when an offender shot him once in the chest and jumped into a light-colored vehicle, Estrada said. No one was in custody as of Saturday morning.

Less than an hour later, a 40-year-old man was shot in the head in the 200 block of North Mayfield Avenue, police said.

The shooter ran up to the man firing several times before hitting him in the back of the head and fleeing on foot, Estrada said.

The man, Ramar Bonner, was taken to Loyola University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office.

The third fatality of the night took place around 3:50 a.m. Saturday in the 4800 block of West Iowa Street where a man was found dead with a gunshot wound.

The 27-year-old man was reportedly involved in a verbal altercation with an unknown offender prior to the shooting, Estrada said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Earlier, a 16-year-old was shot in the leg around 9:58 p.m. Friday in the 5400 block of West Wrightwood Avenue, according to police.

The teen was walking with several others when the group was approached by a male who began firing shots. The teen was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the right leg in stable condition. No others were injured in the shooting.

The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. Friday near the 4800 block of Golf Road in Skokie, where officers discovered a male juvenile shot in the abdomen, according to police.

The victim was taken to an area hospital where his condition was stabilized, police said.

Shortly after, two 18-year-old men were shot around 10:20 p.m. in the 5800 block of South Laflin Street, Estrada said.

The two teens were in separate groups when a verbal altercation erupted and shots were fired, police said. One teen was shot in the left calf and the other was shot in the hip. Both men were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital in stable condition.

Around 10:50 p.m., a 34-year-old man was shot in the back and abdomen during a drive-by shooting in the 120 block of South Perry Avenue, Estrada said.

The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.

Three others were shot in the Lawndale neighborhood around 11:25 p.m. on the 1200 block of South Kolin Avenue, police said.

The victims were in a group with several others when unknown offenders approached on foot and fired shots from a nearby alley, Estrada said.

A 38-year-old man was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition with a gunshot wound to the back. A 38-year-old woman was shot in the arm and taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. The third victim, a 27-year-old woman was shot in the neck and was reported to be in “grave” condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to police.

Police recovered three guns from the alley and discovered the shooters’ emptied vehicle in the 1200 block of South Kostner Avenue.

Around 3:35 a.m. Saturday, a 20-year-old man walked into Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, police said.

The man claimed to be riding in a vehicle when another car pulled up with occupants flashing gang signs and shouting gang slogans before firing at the victim.

No shots were reported in the area, however, and the shooting is still under investigation.

The weekend's most recent shooting according around 3 p.m. Saturday when a 12-year-old boy was shot multiple times in the 2800 block of West 23rd Street, according to a tweet from Chicago Fire Media. 

The boy was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound in his arm in stable condition, according to police news affairs. 
 

Officials have identified the man killed Thursday in a head-on collision along State Route 56.

Nick Hart, 22, graduated from Poway High school where he competed on the Titans wrestling team.

Hart was driving a Scion westbound on SR-56 around 9:30 a.m. Thursday when the teenage driver of a Land Rover traveling in the opposite direction lost control, crossed the center median and drifted into oncoming traffic.

On Friday afternoon, the county's medical examiner identified Hart as the victim in the fatal collision.

Poway High School administrators confirmed Hart was a 2009 graduate and was a member of the school’s wrestling team.

NBC 7 San Diego has learned that Hart worked at the Trader Joe's in Scripps Ranch for about a year.

Manager John Harcharik said he and other employees were shocked to hear the news. He was always smiling, Harcharik said. In fact, some gave him the nickname ‘Smiley’ his boss said.

“He was always there to lift you up,” Harcharik said.

He worked as a crew member, which basically means he did it all the store manager said.

The other driver, 18-year-old Timothy Barnette, was injured in the crash.

California Highway Patrol officers say Barnette was believed to be impaired at the time of the collision. Officials say they're awaiting toxicology results before making a decision on whether to file charges.

The weather isn’t the only thing warming up in San Diego. This weekend plenty of hot events are guaranteed to keep you busy.  

See what’s going on below!

Thursday, May 16

Taste of Cardiff
5-8 p.m. at 124 Aberdeen Dr.
Try some delicious eats in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, where $25 gets you a sample from more than 20 restaurants.

Friday, May 17

Summer Movies in the Park
various times, locations
Summer must be near, because San Diego parks are back to hosting their free movie events. Check out the listings for more information.

Chocolate + Jewelry
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Old Town
Bazaar del Mundo Shops is hosting a shopping and sweets event Friday and Saturday, with live music and complimentary chocolate tastings.

Ramona Rodeo
7:30 p.m. at 421 Aqua Ln.
Stop by the Ramona Outdoor Community Center - Fred Grand  Arena to see some serious bull riding competition. Tickets are $15.

Saturday, May 18

North Park Festival of the Arts
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at University Avenue and 30th Street
Enjoy this neighborhood’s annual festival, complete with a Craft Beer Block. The festival is free, the beer tasting tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

BMX National Championship
11 a.m. at Chula Vista Olympic Training Center
Watch some of the best BMXers in the world battle it out for the national title. The event and parking are free.

National Comedy Theatre Show
7:30 p.m. at 3717 India St.
This Little Italy comedy venue is about to have the longest running show in San Diego. Celebrate with the funny team as they make history. Tickets start at $15.

Jeans 4 Justice
8 p.m. at 207 Fifth Ave.
This fashion show benefits a campaign that helps abuse victims. Attendees can check out a premium denim the auction inside Hard Rock nightclubs Float and 207.

Yoga for Hope
9 a.m. at Petco Park
Ever wanted to try yoga in a baseball field? Well now you can, because Yoga for Hope will have thousands of people getting their namaste on at the park on Saturday. Registration is $45.

Sunday, May 19

Stroll and Roll
9:20 a.m. at 2200 Cushing Rd.
This 2K and 5K fun run and walk benefits the Adaptive Sports Foundation for children and adults with disabilities. Cost to participate starts at $10.

Sicilian Festa
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Little Italy
The 20th annual Sicilian Festa invites the whole town to embrace Italian culture for a day. Bonus: It's free to attend.

Vintana Anniversary
2:30-5 p.m. at 1205 Auto Park Way
This Escondido hotspot is hosting its one year anniversary and celebrating with a wine tasting, entertainment and hosted hors d’oeuvres. Make sure to RSVP as space is limited.

Make sure to check the NBC 7 forecast before going out!

A couple of overnight DUI checkpoints in San Diego netted a combined total of 12 arrests for local law enforcement.

One checkpoint was conducted by the San Diego Police Department in downtown’s East Village area, in the 1400 block of G Street. From 11:05 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday, a total of 2,028 vehicles that passed through the checkpoint.

Police officers screened 813 of those vehicles and detained 31 motorists for further sobriety evaluations. A total of 10 DUI-related arrests were made in or near the checkpoint, police said.

The SDPD’s East Village checkpoint was made possible by a California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) "DUI Mini Grant.”

Meanwhile, over in Imperial Beach, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department also set up a “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over” DUI checkpoint from 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. in the 900 block of Palm Avenue and 9th Street.

Approximately 14 DUI-trained deputies staffed the checkpoint, and 974 vehicles passed through it. A total of 30 motorists were given secondary evaluations, and two were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Another 10 citations were issued for suspended, revoked or no driver’s license, deputies said.
 

History will have to wait at least one more year.

Orb, the Kentucky Derby champion who many hoped would become the first Triple Crown winner in 35 years, finished fourth in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, as 15-1 longshot Oxbow pulled off a surprise wire-to-wire win at Pimlico.

"It's so special," said Oxbow jockey Gary Stevens, who came out of retirement this year at age 50. "We were kind of flying under the radar after the Derby. Didn't get a lot of respect."

Oxbow trainer D. Wayne Lukas seemed to take pleasure from dashing Orb's Triple Crown hopes.

"I get paid to spoil dreams," Lukas said.

Orb's fate may have been sealed days before the race, when he drew the No. 1 post position along the rail -- only two horses have won the Preakness from that position over the last 63 years. Sure enough, Orb got boxed in against the rail by a pack of horses early in the race, and could never find room to break free.

Meanwhile, Oxbow pulled ahead of the pack and never relinquished the lead.

"When I hit the half-mile pole, I just said, 'Are you kidding me, is this happening?'" said Stevens, who worked for NBC as a racing analyst during his seven-year retirement.

Oxbow finished the 1 3/16th-mile race in 1:57.54. Itsmyluckyday finished second, Mylute finished third and Orb, the 3-5 favorite, finished fourth.

But nobody ever gave Oxbow a serious threat.

It's a landmark win for Lukas: Oxbow's Preakness victory marks the trainer's 14th Triple Crown win, the most ever. He's won the Preakness six times, and the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont four times each. He passed James Fitzsimmons, who has won 13 Triple Crown races.

Jockey Gary Stevens has now notched three wins apiece at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont over his career.

Oxbow's win means the Triple Crown drought continues.

In the lead-up to the Preakness, Orb seemed like a prime candidate to end that drought, and bettors made him a heavy favorite. His breathtaking late push in the Kentucky Derby had people believing: He emerged from the back of the pack down the stretch, blew past a large group of horses and pulled away from the pack for a dominant win. Combined with a pedigree to make race fans drool -- his blood lines includes two Triple Crown winners, Seattle Slew (1977) and Secretariat (1973) -- many thought the three-year-old colt would take a place among the horse-racing elite.

Instead, he'll become another in a long line of almosts and what-ifs. Only 11 horses have won the Triple Crown, and none since Affirmed in 1978.

Orb wasn't the only one trying to make history on Saturday who came up short in Baltimore.

Rosie Napravnik, the jockey riding Mylute, hoped to become the first female jockey to win the race. Instead Mylute finished in third place.

Kevin Krigger, the jockey riding Goldencents, hoped to become the first African-American jockey to win the race since 1898. He too came up short as Goldencents finished in fifth place.

More than 3,000 people, namely parents, mentors and teens, made their way into the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility on Saturday to get an inside look at what it’s really like to live in custody.

Juvenile Hall officials held their annual open house event for the public from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the facility located on Meadow Lark Drive.

Organizers say the behind-the-scenes tour is designed to be an eye-opening experience of what life is like for youth in custody. With probation officers serving as tour guides for the day, teen visitors come to understand the serious consequences of poor decisions and illegal behavior.

The open house includes a look into the juvenile courtroom process, as well as living conditions at Juvenile Hall, including simple uniforms, showers and locked rooms that become a part of daily live in custody.

At times throughout the tour, probation officers tell young visitors to walk single file with their arms crossed, in the controlled style of real-life detainees.

Organizers say the main goal is to prevent more local youths from winding up in Juvenile Hall.

During Saturday’s event, that message was loud and clear.

One local 14-year-old boy, who’s currently living in a group home, toured the premises with chaperones and told NBC 7 that the visit made him want to behave well and not get into illegal activity.

Another visitor, Kathleen Donnelly – who was once in custody at the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility – attended the event as a reminder of how far she’s come. She told NBC 7 she’s turned her life around since her days in custody.

“I was an inmate here when I was 17. It was a big part of what changed my life. I experienced a lot here; a lot of discipline and a lot of change,” Donnelly told NBC 7.

According to the County of San Diego website, the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility opened in 1954 and has a maximum capacity of 359 detainees.

The facility currently houses pre-teens, teenagers and young adults with an average age of 15. The teens who live there have committed a range of offenses, from property and drug-related offenses to acts of violence.

The facility provides structured educational and social programming to youth in custody that’s designed to address the root of their delinquent behaviors and reform the way they choose to live.
 

Emergency crews rushed to Torrey Pines Saturday after receiving reports of a paraglider down.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. near the Torrey Pines Gliderport. A rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene to assist.

According to officials, the paraglider sustained some injuries, but was conscious and breathing when help arrived.

The victim was hoisted from the area and airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. His currently condition is unknown.

Further details about what may have caused the accident were not immediately available.
 

A pedestrian was seriously injured in a hit and run collision in the Midway District Friday night, police confirmed.

According to police, at around 8:15 p.m. a man in his 40s was crossing the street in the 2700 block of Midway Drive and Rosecrans Street when he was struck by the driver of a 2004 Honda.

The car was driven by a man in his 30s, who pulled over and dropped off an unknown passenger near the scene. Police say the driver then drove to the parking lot of a nearby Big Lots store and let more passengers out of his vehicle.

The driver fled the area and drove home. Shortly thereafter, officers located the driver him and took him into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence and felony hit and run.

“He had passengers in the vehicle, [and] pulled over some distance away. They were trying to encourage him to return to the scene, but he failed to do so,” SDPD Sgt. Leonard Flake told NBC 7. “He got out and went home.”

Meanwhile, the victim was taken to a local hospital with serious leg injuries, broken bones and a severed finger. The victim’s current condition is unknown.
 

Everybody wants the inside track on how to win the highly coveted $600 million Powerball prize – including San Diegans.

California joined the Powerball club in December so San Diegans can now find tickets wherever Super Lotto or Mega Million tickets are sold. Currently, 43 states participate in the Powerball Lottery.

Lottery officials say adding California to the mix has given the Powerball jackpot a quick growth spurt to the $600 million prize it is today.

For those wondering how to get in on the buzz, California Lottery officials list their lucky retailers. This list includes two San Diego area convenience stores that have a history of selling winning tickets.

Locally, the 7-Elevens at 807 E 8th Street in National City and the one at 4983 Cass Street in Pacific Beach have each sold two jackpot tickets.

It was at the Cass Street location in 2009, that 24-year-old insurance agent Todd Moitz picked the right combination for his $47 million jackpot.

In January 2012, a man identified by lottery officials as Alvin T. won $1 million with his $10 scratcher purchase at the National City 7-Eleven location.

Both lucky stores are experiencing long lines at the lottery counters, stacked with eager players looking to cash in on some serious luck.

7-Eleven store manager Raju Sings told NBC 7 he’s been printing out endless lottery tickets for customers this week.

His 7-Eleven store has sold two jackpot-winning tickets. The last one was sold four years ago.

Some locals know it’s a lucky spot, so they’ve purposely chosen to spend their dollars there on Powerball tickets.

Zack Howard bought two lottery tickets on Friday night from Sings’ 7-Eleven.

“I like to play Mega Millions and Powerball every now and then. It’s exciting. It’s out there, so you might as well play. There’s always a chance that you could win a lot of money,” Howard told NBC 7.

Although he has only ever won $10 and $2 prizes playing the lottery, Howard said he was feeling particularly lucky this time around.

Pacific Beach resident Matt Belardes, who works in the investment business, also felt inclined to invest a few bucks in the Powerball lottery.

“I like luck. Hopefully, I’ll get a little luck,” he told NBC 7.

Sing said it’s no surprise that customers are feeling lucky at his store.

“You get more busy. People know us, [that we’re] a very good store. Very lucky,” Sings said.

There were also long lines at the 7-Eleven on East Eighth Street in National City Friday night – another one of San Diego’s luckiest lottery stores.

Risking a couple of dollars for a chance -- even a one in 175 million chance -- at a record Powerball prize in places where millionaires of lotteries past have roamed made many customers feel lucky, and a little generous.

“I’ll give you $1 million if I win,” one lottery player told NBC 7.

The California Lottery commission confirmed that if nobody wins the $600 million Powerball prize during Saturday’s drawing, the next jackpot jumps to $925 million – nearly $1 billion.

The Powerball drawing is scheduled for 7:59 p.m. PT. The deadline to buy the $2 Powerball tickets is 6 p.m. PT.
 

New York City authorities are investigating the deadly overnight shooting of a 32-year-old man in Greenwich Village as a hate crime after detectives learned the suspect taken into custody at the scene may have made anti-gay remarks to the victim before pulling the trigger, authorities said.

Law enforcement officials say Marc Carson, who lived on West 131st Street, and a friend were near a 99 Cent Pizza shop on Sixth Avenue around midnight when the suspect, who was with two other men, hurled anti-gay slurs at them, Carson's friend told detectives.

Carson made some remarks in response to the suspect's taunts and walked away, law enforcement sources said. 

A short time later, the suspect, who was by himself, confronted Carson and his friend again near a building on West Eighth Street, and words were exchanged for a second time, law enforcement officials said. Then the suspect allegedly pulled out a .38 caliber revolver and shot Carson in the face, killing him.

The suspect ran off and police responding to the shooting put out a description of him. An officer on foot patrol saw a man who fit the description of the suspect near McDougal and West Third Streets and tried to question him, but the suspect fled. The officer chased him down and took him into custody. A silver revolver was found in his possession and charges are pending against him, authorities said.

Detectives are looking to question the two men who were with the suspect during the initial confrontation near the pizza shop, but they do not believe they were with the suspect during the shooting. 

Law enforcement officials say the suspect has refused to identify himself to officers questioning him at the precinct, and he appears to have a fake ID in his possession.

Police are reviewing surveillance video from the area.

Before the shooting, police say the suspect had a separate confrontation with a manager and bouncer at the West Village restaurant Annisa on Barrow Street. Both men told detectives the suspect made anti-gay comments and threatened them. 

State and local officials blasted the slaying Saturday, citing a spike in alleged anti-gay crimes in Manhattan over the last several months.

On May 10, police said a gay couple was attacked on West 32nd Street and beaten so severely that one of the men needed eye surgery. Days earlier, another gay couple was assaulted by a group of men in the same area near Madison Square Garden.

A local musician accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife will remain in jail on $2 million bail following a hearing in court on Friday.

Local musician Tim Lambesis – frontman for Grammy-nominated Christian metal band As I Lay Dying – is accused of trying to arrange the murder of his estranged wife, Meggan Lambesis.

Lambesis was arrested on May 7 in Oceanside. Prosecutors allege that Lambesis approached someone from his gym on Apr. 23 and asked if the person knew anyone who could kill his wife.

NBC 7: Local Musician Arrested in Murder-for-Hire Plot

The metal rocker was motivated because he felt it would be better for his three children to have a healthy relationship with one parent, prosecutors allege.

On May 7, Lambesis met with an undercover agent named “Red.” The rocker allegedly told the agent – whom he thought was some sort of hitman – that he wanted his wife “gone” and to “never see her again,” according to prosecutors.

Lambesis then allegedly provided the undercover agent with an envelope containing $1,000 cash for expenses, his wife’s address and gate codes, pictures of her and specific dates when he would have the children and thus, an alibi.

Meggan Lambesis lives in Del Mar with the couple’s three adopted children ages, 4, 8 and 10. Court documents reveal she had filed for divorce in September 2012 to end the couple’s 8-year marriage.

In the divorce records obtained by the Associated Press, Meggan Lambesis claims the rocker had become "obsessed with bodybuilding" and was distracted with the children, even falling asleep once while watching them. She also claimed he has spent thousands of dollars on tattoos.

Earlier this month, prosecutors claimed that in August 2012 Lambesis sent an email to his wife admitting he had been having an affair and no longer loved her. He also told her he no longer believed in God.

Following his May 7 arrest, Lambesis was held on $3 million bail. His attorney asked a judge for a more reasonable bail of $250,000, arguing that Lambesis had no criminal history whatsoever.

On May 9, the metal singer entered a not guilty plea to one charge of solicitation of murder. Judge Martin Staven ordered GPS monitoring for Lambesis and ordered that the defendant stay away from his wife and children.

On Friday, 10 days after Lambesis' arrest, dozens of his wife's friends flooded a courtroom for the bail review hearing. Friends of the frontman and his parents were also in the courtroom.

More than 25 friends of Meggan Lambesis showed their support for her by wearing yellow paper hearts – Meggan’s favorite color – with a white ribbon on their shirts.

In a brief exclusive interview, one of those supporters told NBC 7 that the group wanted to show that they love Meggan and stand behind her during this difficult ordeal.

A judge revealed he had received a “large number of letters” in support of Lambesis’ attorney’s request for lower bail.

However, the judge said Lambesis is still a danger to society and his estranged wife, and is still considered a flight risk. His bail was lowered from $3 million to $2 million.

The rocker’s family is unable to make bail, so Lambesis will remain in jail, his attorney said.

At this point, Lambesis has surrendered his passport to authorities and must have GPS monitoring. His upcoming tour with As I Lay Dying has been suspended.

Lambesis’ attorney, Tom Warwick, revealed more details about the singer’s past and his recent trouble with steroids in court on Friday.

Warwick said Lambesis was voted “Most Like Jesus” by classmates when he attended Santa Fe Christian High School as a teen. He was a religious studies major in college and “desperately loves his children,” according to his lawyer.

Warwick said Lambesis’ troubles began when he got into bodybuilding and “gym culture.”

The frontman started taking supplements, then steroids, that led to what Warwick referred to as “changes in his physiological and mental status.”

He went from 170 to 220-pounds and in his attorney’s words, “Was not the same person. He was irritable and lost God.” A forensic psychiatrist who consulted with the defense said Lambesis got “roid rage” after using steroids.

His attorney said Lambesis is now off steroids, going through withdrawal, and in total isolation in jail for protection from other inmates. He’s also getting personal counseling from a jail chaplain.

“It has been a terrible tragedy,” Warwick said in court while arguing for lower bail. "He was a very caring, gentle man [before taking steroids] and we need to get him back.”

Meanwhile, Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso said she was grateful that the judge kept bail high for Lambesis, given the severity of the case and what the victim has had to go through.

Grasso said Meggan Lambesis is practically under house arrest at this point, terrified over what has transpired.

“She’s doesn’t know who else is out there. She’s frightened,” said Grasso following the hearing.

If convicted, Lambesis faces a maximum sentence of nine years behind bars. He's scheduled to appear in court again on May 29.

A local U.S. Airman has nearly completed the climb of his life – all the way to the top of Mount Everest.

About 50 days ago, Santee-based GPS Operations Mission Commander Capt. Colin Merrin set out to scale Mount Everest as part of a U.S. Air Force team hoping to become the first group ever of active-duty U.S. military to reach the top of the world’s highest mountain.

Capt. Merrin's parents say their son isn’t making the climb to show off his athletic and mental prowess, but rather to honor friends and comrades who’ve died while serving the U.S

According to Capt. Merrin’s family, the group should reach the peak – at a staggering elevation of 29,029 feet – either Sunday or Monday. On Friday, his family told NBC 7 the group was currently at camp, about 25,000 feet up the mountain.

Since 2005, the group, known as the USAF Seven Summits Challenge team, has climbed peaks all over the world including Mt. Elbrus, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Aconcagua, Mt.McKinley, Mt. Vinson, Mt. Kosciuszko and now, Mt. Everest.

The team’s website lists the group’s mission as this:

“For U.S. Air Force members to carry the American and USAF flags to the highest point on each continent, ending atop the highest point on Earth. In doing so, we will be the first team of active duty American military members to reach the summit of Mt. Everest and the first team of military service members from any nation to reach all of the famed seven summits.”

Capt. Merrin’s biography on the team’s website says his biggest takeaway from climbing is that “existing in the mountains instills a humility found nowhere else in the world.”

His family -- father Joel Merrin, mother Pamela Merrin and brother Ian Merrin – live in Santee and told NBC 7 they’re extremely proud of Capt. Merrin’s Everest endeavor.

His father says his son and the Air Force team have been doing well thus far on their journey, steadily making their way up the mountain.

"Mount Everest is a very dangerous mountain. A lot of people died up there, so if the weather is good and they're all in pretty good physical condition, there really shouldn't be any problem," Joel told NBC 7.

His brother, Ian, says he looks forward to speaking to his sibling as he gets higher and higher up the peak.

"You can tell his altitude [when we talk on the phone], he's short of breath. I just want to know how everything's going,” Ian told NBC 7.

The family says they’ve been communicating with Capt. Merrin throughout the climb to make sure the guy they describe as “soft and gentle” is still going strong in the Himalayas.

“As long as he was at base camp it was fine, but then as he started progressing up the mountain it got a little more nerve-racking,” his mother, Pam, told NBC 7.

Earlier this week Capt. Merrin called Pam to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day.

“Hey, Mom, it’s Colin. It’s like 7:45 or 6:45 or something, you're probably not up yet, but I just wanted to call and say Happy Mother's Day and I love you. Everything's still going well up here," he said in his voicemail.

Once he makes it to the top of Mount Everest with his team, it will be a major relief for his family.

But it won’t be over just yet.

Capt. Merrin's family says waiting for him to get back down the world’s highest peak will be just as nerve-racking, but they have total confidence in him and the USAF Seven Summits Challenge team.

A deaf 11-year-old mini Yorkie apparently taken by dognappers demanding $1,000 from his owners was dropped off by someone in a white car near his owner's home on Saturday, the dog's owner told NBC4 News.

Someone speeding by in a white car with tinted windows dropped off the dog named Walter. A woman walking her dog in the neighborhood noticed the Yorkie, checked his dog tag and called the owner, Tricia O’Kelley.

Walter, who weighs about 5 pounds, hadn't been seen since Thursday afternoon in the family’s fenced-in backyard along Los Feliz Boulevard in the Griffith Park area. 

A blocked number called O’Kelley’s cellphone, which is listed on Walter’s tags, about 10:15 p.m. Thursday.

The man on the other end of the line told O’Kelley he wants $1,000 for the dog’s safe return. O’Kelley said she heard another man laughing in the background.

Her husband took over negotiations. The dognapper said he’d call back and hung up.

Within minutes, the blocked number called back and this time, O’Kelley’s husband, Adam Rosenblatt, put the call on speaker so the police on a second phone could hear.

The dognapper laid out his demands.

He wanted the family to create phony fliers offering a $1,000 reward for Walter’s return and listed streets on which he wanted them posted. Then, he would bring one of those posters to a Chevron station on Western and Franklin avenues where he would exchange the dog for the cash.

Police suggested they make the fliers and meet the men at the gas station with a plain-clothed officer.

O’Kelley’s husband was in the process of hanging up the fliers when the man called back, saying he’d been lied to and that police were at the gas station.

“He said, ‘Don’t lie to me. I’m keeping your dog,’” O’Kelley said.

That last phone call at 11:15 p.m. Thursday came from a 7-Eleven payphone in North Hollywood, O’Kelley said. And that was the last time she heard from whoever has Walter.

Walter has a condition that causes his trachea to collapse, which is common for his breed.

Walter was outfitted with tags and has a microchip.