The Oakland Raiders have closed on the purchase of more than 60 acres near the Las Vegas Strip where their partially tax-funded, 65,000-seat stadium is to be built.

Public records filed Monday show a team-owned company paid $77.5 million for four parcels in an area west of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino.

The team and the public board overseeing the proposed $1.9 billion project have been working on stadium details for months.

Since NFL owners approved the Raiders' relocation to Las Vegas in March, the team has taken more than 40,000 refundable $100 deposits for personal seat licenses.

Guests of hotels and other lodging facilities in the Las Vegas area are contributing $750 million through a room tax increase.

The team did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

An earthquake measuring a 3.5 magnitude rattled residents near Temecula and Palomar Mountain early Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake, which struck at 8:44 a.m., was centered approximately 10 miles northeast of Palomar Observatory.

People as far away as Anza and Fallbrook reported feeling the quake.

If you felt it, comment on the NBC 7 Facebook page or through the USGS "Did You Feel It?" section.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

A beach in San Diego’s North County where a woman was attacked by a shark over the weekend will reopen Wednesday, as avid surfers itch to get back in the water.

San Onofre State Beach – located off Interstate 5 at Basilone Road and Camp Pendleton, about 3 miles south of San Clemente, California, and 58 miles north of downtown San Diego – officially reopens at 9 a.m. after being closed to the public for several days.

Already, at 6 a.m., cars were lined up waiting to get into the small parking lot. Some surfers were already in the water.

On Saturday evening, a shark attack at the beach left victim Leeanne Ericson with serious injuries. She was airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla just before 6:30 p.m.

According to authorities, Ericson was camping at San Onofre State Beach with her boyfriend and the couple decided to go in the water. Ericson was swimming, while her boyfriend was surfing next to her at a well-known spot at the beach.

The victim’s mother, Christine McKnerney-Leidle, said the couple saw a seal in the water and Ericson’s boyfriend turned to swim out to a wave. Just then, Ericson disappeared from the water’s surface.

The woman was attacked by a shark approximately 10 feet in length who ripped through the back of Ericson’s leg, tearing out all the muscle from her knee to her hip. The shark just missed the victim’s major arteries, McKnerney-Leidle said on Facebook.

As Ericson was dragged into the water, her lungs filled with foam and debris.

She survived the shark attack, but her mother said her road to a full recovery will be painful and lengthy.

Doctors are now starting the process of reconstructing the victim’s leg. They’re also monitoring the foam and debris in Ericson's lungs. The victim is in a medically-induced coma.

Ericson works for a local credit union, Pacific Marine Credit Union. The company has opened an account to collect donations to help the victim in her recovery. Donations can be made at any Pacific Marine Credit Union branch, or by mail. Check can be made payable to:

“Support Leeanne”
C/O Pacific Marine Credit Union
1278 Rocky Point Drive
Oceanside, CA 92056

A GoFundMe page has also been set up for Ericson.

Last year, there were an estimated 59 shark attacks across the U.S., according to data collected by scientists at the University of Florida.

Melanie Wigal was among the surfers hitting the water Wednesday at the beach. She said her group was being cautious but the attack won't stop them from catching waves.

"I've noticed that we're definitely all sticking together in a tighter pack than we did before," Wigal told NBC 7. "And there's not all that machismo vibe in the water that there usually is. Everyone is really looking out for each other right now."

Local surfers told NBC 7 that every sport comes with risks and, in the case of surfing, there are ways to minimize those risks.

"I have a philosophy," said surfer Mike Johnson. "To make yourself NOT look like the food that they eat, so I'm not a sharpboarder."

Escondido police thanked a local teacher for her help in arresting an arson suspect, saying that without her assistance, they would not have been able to catch the man. 

Escondido Police Lt. Scott Walters and Sgt. Mike Graesser stopped by Orange Glen High School Wednesday to thank history teacher Juel Copeland for her quick work. with Dr. Karen Rizzi, Assistant Superintendent, and Stacey Adame, Principal, also stopped by.

On Tuesday, Copeland helped catch a suspected arsonist in Escondido before he committed a crime. 

Officers said that "without her help they would have not captured the individual.”

“Her description of the individual was so detailed it made locating the person much easier,” the officers said in a statement.

San Diegans from across the County brought flowers, letters, stuffed animals and other remembrances to cover the memorial of a mother of three fatally injured in a mass shooting rampage this past weekend. 

The vigil to remember Monique Clark took place just minutes from the poolside site where the gunman, 49-year-old Peter Selis, opened fire onto a group celebrating a birthday party at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment complex on Sunday.

Clark was fatally injured in the shooting. Seven others were wounded in the shooting, some critically. A security guard was shot at, but not hurt, police said.

On Wednesday evening, hundreds came out of honor Clark and those injured in the shooting at a vigil, lining the sidewalks near the apartment complex.

According to investigators, Selis had recently broken up with his girlfriend and called her as he was sitting on a poolside lounge chair, shooting at people.

Friends remembered Clark as a kind and caring mother and friend lost too soon. 

"It kills me that she was killed," said Drew Phillips, one of the victims of the shooting. "She just didn't deserve it."

Another friend added, "Monique was a good friend, always positive. This hurts."

Willie Mayo, a friend of the victims, remembered Clark as a loving mother and friend. She had three daughters: a 13-year-old, 11-year-old and 2-year-old. 

"She has kids, a little one, maybe like five or six years old. So, very sad," Mayo. "Monique's a good person too, very nice. So, still trying to take it all in."

Clark's mother said on her GoFundMe page that "the grieving process is fresh, raw, and real." 

She went on to say that family and friends lost their loved one to a "senseless, cowardess act of violence." 

At the end of the vigil,  a request was made by the family that each person in attendance find three strangers who don't have the same color skin as them and say "hello."

A second, multi-faith prayer vigil was held Wednesday at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church for the victims of the shooting. Sandles were displayed to honor each of the injured, as well as the family of the shooter, Peter Selis.

Clark's memorial service will be taking place Saturday, March 13, at The Rock Church in Point Loma.

Clark's family has set up a GoFundMe. To donate, click here. 

National City police have arrested a man who allegedly spray painted graffiti on a war memorial at National City's Kimball Park. 

Michael Alex Villalpando, 24, was arrested on a felony vandalism charged and booked into San Diego County Jail on Wednesday, according to police. 

National City police detectives and investigators with the gang enforcement team identified the suspect using previous vandalism cases and surveillance footage from the incident. 

Around 9:20 p.m. Friday, surveillance video appeared to show a group of males gathering on the east side of the the War Memorial at Kimball Park. After a while, the group dispersed, except for one man.

According to National City police, the video appeared to show the man spray painting the War Memorial.

The memorial honors National City veterans who fought and were killed fighting for the U.S. in World War II.

At this point, the amount of damage has not been determined.

This is not the first incident to occur at the War Memorial.

In 2014, three war memorial plaques commemorating U.S. military service members were stolen from Kimball Park.

When your car gets in an accident you sometimes have to replace the airbag.

But Carfax warns that sometimes people are getting recycled airbags, and that can be a problem.

According to Christopher Basso with Carfax, some mechanics might replace your discharged airbag with an airbag from a junk yard or recycling company. Those parts are generally cheaper and could work just fine but he warned that the recycled airbags could also be on a nationwide recall list.

Currently, millions of Takata airbags are on recall order. Some can explode in an accident sending shards of metal at the driver and passengers.

When a car is discarded, their airbags could be resold if they were never deployed. But the driver getting those recalled airbags installed into their own cars may never know their dangerous history.

Basso says 750,000 deployed airbags are replaced annually, some with less costly recycled airbags from scrapped cars. That why, he told NBC 7, people need to ask questions when repairing their cars.

1)  Find out if your vehicle's airbags ever needed replacing.

2)  Have a mechanic inspect the airbag to help determine the source of the replacement.

3)  Insist on original replacement parts, (OEM), or demand to see the parts order form.

4)  Get a history report on the vehicle.

5 )  Get a pre-purchase inspection report from a trusted mechanic before you consider buying the car.

From a young girl growing up in war-torn Liberia to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, 32-year-old Sharon Patray's journey has been a remarkable one.

“It's a dream," said Patray. "Going to John Hopkins has been my dream since I started.”

Patray was born in Liberia during the country's civil war in the 90s.  She said the fighting left many dead. With the port blocked, there was little food. Her family experienced severe hunger. 

“I remember that when my mom was saying we need to get out of here,” Patray recalled. 

Her family fled to Ghana and was forced to live in a refugee camp. She spent time there when she was not at a nearby boarding school. 

At 15, her family was able to move to the U.S. 

But for Patray, the thought of leaving was overwhelming. 

"All my friends are here, everything I know is here,” she remembered thinking.

Patray quickly realized that the move would be life changing.

In the U.S., Patray graduated high school and was offered a full ride scholarship to study science. However, she could not accept because she was not a U.S. citizen. 

Patray learned from a friend, who was joining the military, that she could become a citizen and receive money through the G.I. bill to attend school. 

"Maybe I can do that," she thought. 

Patray joined the U.S. Marine Corps and serve eight years. She deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, where she provided security for the 2005 election - something she is particularly proud of. 

"They had the opportunity for their voice to be heard," she said. It was especially poignant for her because she grew up under a dictatorship. As she served, she hoped for the same for the people of her home country of Liberia: free and fair elections. 

Patray finished out her Marine career at Camp Pendleton. The lessons from the Corps, she says, still guide her today.

“Even when I struggle I have to back up and attack in a different direction, that drive to keep going forward has pretty much stayed with me,” Patray said.

She says she was inspired by the Marines who served beside her, many of whom were injured, to pursue her dreams in medical research.

Through various programs, like the Bridges to the Future Program, which connects students from community colleges to California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM, Patray was able to work alongside many mentors.

On May 20, Patray will graduate from CSUSM with a degree in biochemistry. In the fall, she will be heading to Baltimore to study at John Hopkins. 

As for the her road to success, Patray says it was scary at times.  

“But at the end, I wouldn't change anything, I'm glad I took this journey,” she said. 

A missile test by Littoral Combat Ship USS Jackson off the coast of Southern California Wednesday was successful, according to the U.S. Navy officials.

The successful test was to demonstrate the self-defense capability of USS Jackson against an aerial target.

According to officials, the ship fired a SeaRAM missile against an aerial drone that was simulating an anti-ship missile. The test was part of a Combat System Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT).

The crews of the Jackson worked with Naval Surface Warfare Center and Port Hueneme Division personnel. The ship used the 57mm gun against a fast attack craft.

"It's been a long journey, with a lot of training, effort, and dedication," said Comdr. Patrick Keller in a statement. "These events further demonstrate that my team is ready to fight and defend Jackson and that our ship is ready when called."

Keller is the commanding officer of USS Jackson.

The ship was commissioned on Dec. 5, 2015 in Gulfport, Mississippi.

What a difference a day can make. The Padres could not keep up with the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night and dropped the second game of the set 11-3.

Jered Weaver was on the bump for the Friars and got off to a shaky start. The righty allowed four hits and just as many runs in the first inning alone. Before the inning was over, the Padres did get on the board when infielder Yangervis Solarte hit a sacrifice fly to center field which scored Wil Myers.

That would be the only run on the board for San Diego until the fifth inning. Meantime the Rockies were letting them fly at Petco Park. In the fourth and fifth innings, Colorado notched six more runs to take a 10-1 lead over the Padres.

In the bottom of the fifth, infielder Erick Aybar hit a solo shot to right field, his third home run of the season, but there was still an eight run hole to climb out of. Myers helped the cause with a double to deep left field which brought in Jabari Blash, but the Padres still trailed 10-3.

What’s one more when you already have a seven run advantage? The Rockies added another off a Charlie Blackmon RBI double in the ninth and that would do it.

The series finale is a matinee special at 12:40 p.m. Thursday afternoon at Petco Park.

A fiery debate is brewing over a mega dorm project at San Diego State University (SDSU).

Campus planners have released a residence hall expansion plan that would include three more buildings that would house 2,600 students. It will be built in three phases--the last phase is in Aztec Canyon.

But residents who live near the canyon voiced their objection to the project, arguing it will disturb protected native plants and animal species.

A subcommittee of the College Area Community Planning Board took public comment Wednesday night where many speakers gave the plan a failing grade.

Home owners on Remington Road said campus planners should not sacrifice the last of the native space that is Aztec Canyon to build the new dorms.

The canyon is home to some 85 protected plant and animal species.

“It’s worth preserving. It’s one of the few remaining places where we can see what San Diego was before it was developed and irrigated and changed into the city we know it today,” resident Robert Plice said.

Plice said he isn't against more dorms. In fact, he and his neighbors living on the west side of Aztec canyon are all for it.

"Those of us who live in the College Area have complained for a long time that SDSU is not doing enough to house its students on campus,” Plice said.

But he added that the school identified more than a dozen other areas where the dorm could be built.

"They have many alternatives that would not involve destroying a native canyon," Plice said.

The half dozen voices heard at Wednesday night’s subcommittee meeting are expected to echo among many more in the debate. 

SDSU Interim Communications Chief Gina Jacobs, told NBC 7, that if community members have concerns, the university wants to hear them. The Planning Board will respond to each of them when the public comment period ends on June 5.

San Diegans love Cinco de Mayo and perhaps the best place to celebrate the Mexican holiday is at Old Town State Historic Park – at least on this side of the border.

Each year, Old Town hosts one epic, three-day fiesta in honor of Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

This year marks the 34th annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo, and, in its signature style, the free, family-friendly shindig will feature live entertainment, including 40 bands, plus traditional ballet folklorico performances across several stages including at Conde Street and San Diego Avenue near Cafe Coyote, the Cosmopolitan Hotel stage and near Fiesta de Reyes.

A vibrant folklorico dance competition will take place in the heart of the park on both Saturday and Sunday.

For car enthusiasts, there's Low Rider Lane on the main stretch of the block party -- open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.-- where visitors can admire the cool, flashy wheels displayed in the annual car show.

Other activities on deck include historical demonstrations, Saturday Lucha Libre wrestling matches, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides and crafts for the kids. Food, margarita and beer gardens, tequila tastings top off the celebration.

The fiesta goes down from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and again from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

On Friday, which is Cinco de Mayo, many Old Town eateries and bars will offer all-night Happy Hour and other specials. The band Zzymzzy Gypsy Swing will perform on the stage at the historic Cosmopolitan Hotel from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Old Town Cinco de Mayo party is the largest event of its kind in Southern California and always draws a huge crowd. Parking is limited and the lots do fill up fast, so attendees may want to consider taking public transit, including the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System's trolley to the event.

The trolley's Green Line stops at the Old Town Transit Center located at 4005 Taylor St., which is only a few steps away from Old Town.

For more fiesta details, click here.

A boater off the coast of San Diego's iconic Sunset Cliffs got a peek at one of nature's wonders: a whale and a baby whale swimming in the ocean. 

The pair were spotted off the coast Wednesday morning. The call first came in as a possibly distressed whale, lifeguards said. 

Seaworld Spokesman Dave Koontz said they were made aware of the whales, but lifeguards were trying to get a better look at the situation to see if there is an issue. Seaworld is often involved in marine rescues. 

Lifeguards responded and determined neither were in any form of danger. 

"And that's right there in the kelp forest off Sunset Cliffs, a sail boater had seen this, a citizen who had no experience with it, thought it might be trapped and we were able to determine that is not the case," said Lt. John Sandmeyer with the San Diego Lifeguards, a marine expert.

At the moment, lifeguards have several whales they are keeping an eye on off the coast of San Diego, including a 50-foot long dead whale. 

Video taken Sunday evening in the pool area of the La Jolla Crossroads apartment complex shows a crowd of approximately 25 people laughing and posing for photographs.

There are small groups of people sitting on lounge chairs with music quietly playing in the background. One man is walking around with a paper crown on his head.

Monique Clark is sitting along the edge of the group. Behind her, approximately 30 feet away, is a man sitting by himself in a lounge chair. A backpack is placed to the man's right on a patio table.

The video provided to NBC 7 by Haley Thames Tuesday shows the celebration that would be interrupted by chaos and gunfire moments later.

Those who ran for their lives spoke to members of the media Tuesday to describe the moments Pete Selis decided to shoot into the party crowd.

Selis, who was white, killed one woman and wounded seven more in the crowd of mostly black or Hispanic people.

Police investigators said Monday Selis had been despondent for days before the shooting because of a recent break-up.

San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said investigators have found "zero evidence" so far that the attack was motivated by race.

But people who were there feel differently.

“This was partially, to some in fact, a crime full of hate or a racially motivated crime," said Lauren Chapman, who can be seen on the video.

Clark, a mother of three, was fatally injured in the shooting.

The gunman, who had called the ex during the rampage, fired on responding officers. Zimmerman said one sergeant and two officers returned fire, striking and killing Selis at the scene.

Bullet holes in the pool gate and the stucco walls shows the intensity of the violence.

Chapman said that Selis did not target two white women immediately to his left, approximately 10 feet away. Instead, he starting firing shots at people 20 feet away. 

The video gives a sense of the size of the crowd and the proximity of many victims to Selis.

"At no point in time did it cross my mind that we weren’t targeted because of the group that we are," Chapman said. "At no point in time."

Homicide investigators said they are continuing to investigate the deadly incident. However, the chief said Monday, investigatoes have found "zero evidence" the violence was racially motivated.

The group of friends also gave updates on their friends still in the hospital. One 24-year-old victim had just moved to San Diego two weeks ago. She was shot twice in her calves; post surgery, she is now recovering. 

Clark's family has set up a GoFundMe. To donate, click here. A GoFundMe has been set up for injured victims of the mass shooting. To donate, click here.

An active-duty U.S. Navy SEAL, accused of possessing child pornography,  appeared in court for the first time in Virginia Wednesday. 

Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Kyle Seerden, 31, of San Diego faces several felony counts related to possession of child porn.

NBC 7 learned Wednesday night, this isn't the first time he's been under investigation for inappropriate contact with a minor in his family.

His ex-wife Alica Seerden said the child "had to do a forensic interview and in one of the interviews she told interviewers he had taken inappropriate photos of him and her together."

The San Diego Police Department confirmed they did investigate a 2014 case involving Seerden.

That case was turned over to NCIS whose only response was, "given the current allegations, we're not going to discuss anything concerning Mr. Seerden at this point."

Seerden's ex-wife said the case was closed because of insufficient evidence. Seerden is assigned to SEAL Team One based in Coronado, California. 

The alleged incident precedes the child pornography charges Seerden is now facing.

On January 17, a woman told a gate sentry at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLCFS) that she had just spent the night with Seerden and was sexually assaulted while intoxicated.

At the time, Seerden was on temporary duty in Virginia.

As part of the investigation into the alleged sexual assault, NCIS investigators seized Seerden’s iPhone 7.

Seerden's commanding officer gave investigators permission to search the phone for text messages, photos, videos, phone logs, and contacts.

When an NCIS Digital Forensic Examiner reviewed the contents of the phone in February, he reported seeing “images of prepubescent children that were naked and engaged in sexual acts, specifically oral sex."

On March 20, a judge approved the search of Seerden’s iPhone 7 for evidence related to child pornography.

Officials allege 78 images were found on the phone that include some depicting bondage of children, according to legal documents.

Video that appeared to be created by the user of the phone, created Jan. 1-2, show a man masturbating next to a sleeping girl who appeared to be 5 or 6 years old, according to the legal document. The face of the male was not visible in the video, investigators said.

Seerden requested a court-appointed attorney at the May 3 hearing. He was told he would be responsible for paying for the attorney beginning in July. 

Theresa said she was desperate. 

"I was so hesitant at first because it's just not the type of person I am," she said. Theresa was a young single mom, emotionally vulnerable and financially in crisis when a close friend started suggesting prostitution as a way out.

Theresa is not her real name. In order to protect her identity, NBC 7 is calling her “Theresa” as she explains how she was lured into the sex trade by another woman.

According to San Diego officials, the situation is more common than you'd expect.

Theresa said her friend told her she had experience in the business and the promise of financial independence won out.

“I felt like if I didn't, I was giving up the opportunity to even try to provide the right way for my daughter," she said.

According to Theresa, her trusted friend made the arrangements, finding customers online and setting up meetings at local hotels. She says it was a lucrative game of manipulation and prostitution. The female friend expected to be paid half of Theresa’s earnings.

Marisa Ugarte, Founder and Executive Director of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (BSCC), said Theresa’s situation is not uncommon.

"We have seen it more often,” she said. “It's happening in schools too with best friends. Sometimes there is a pimp involved and sometimes they are the pimps."

BSCC’s mission is to preserve the dignity of trafficked and commercially exploited people. The organization has been helping people for two decades.

San Diego Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan says a 2016 study about sex trafficking in San Diego County found the use of female recruiters is one of the top three methods used to lure new victims.

Theresa said her friend knew what she wanted to hear and was able to manipulate her. She said eventually, the woman she thought was her friend, controlled her and the illicit lifestyle quickly took its toll.

"I felt dirty,” Theresa said. “I could take a shower five, 10 times a day and I wasn't me. I didn't feel like it was me in my own skin anymore.”

Ugarte said it's happening in all parts of San Diego County.

"Don't think that just because you come from a middle-class family or a higher class family it can't happen to you,” Ugarte said. “I got news for you. It happens everywhere."

After nearly a year of being sex trafficked, Theresa said she was able to break free from the woman who was pimping her. Theresa has now strengthened her resolve to turn her life around and said she is determined not to let her past define her future. She’s hopeful sharing her story will increase awareness about this dangerous situation.

“I look at it as, you know what, I'm still here and there's a reason why I'm still here and I have to keep moving forward," she said.

Ugarte said it's critical for parents to be present in their child's life and get to know who their child's best friends are. For information on how to get help for yourself or a suspected victim of human trafficking or to learn more about sex trafficking in San Diego click here.

A man's brutal killing in San Diego County involves a graphic Snapchat video and a so-called "hit list," according to friends of the victim and the defendant.

The death of Maithem Alfuraiji, 20, was "senseless" and "heinous," the prosecutor said. Alfuraiji's close friend, the man who investigators say left clues to the killing on Snapchat, pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge Wednesday.

Salvador Alejandro Sanchez, 19, was arrested Sunday, accused of killing Alfuraiji and dumping his body in Valley Center, police said.

Sanchez did not say anything when he appeared before a judge Wednesday in the county courthouse in Vista. His defense attorney told the court his client had no criminal history and argued for a low bail amount.

However, Deputy District Attorney Claudia Plascencia said, "In addition to the manner of death which was particularly senseless and uncalled for, this defendant is a danger to the community.”

The judge agreed and set bail at $2 million.

Alexander Gendron and Kevin Rosado, friends of both the defendant and the victim, spoke with reporters outside of court. The men said they were the ones who alerted police to investigate whether something bad had happened to their friend Alfuraiji.

According to Escondido police, on Thursday, Sanchez got into a fight with Alfuraiji while drinking which resulted in Alfuraiji's death. Prosecutors described the two men as close friends.

Rosado and Gendron confirmed this.

“We have pictures together. We have stories together,” Rosado said adding that he doesn't understand the motive in the killing.

The two friends say they learned about the crime when they went to visit Sanchez.

They say they saw white clothes covered in blood inside the defendant’s room.

"When I looked at the white clothing, there was more blood than white," Gendron said.

According to Rosado, Sanchez told them he wore white because he wanted to be pure.

Rosado also recalled viewing a Snapchat story in which he heard a voice crying and sniffling and asking someone to 'Stop.'" Rosado said the voice belonged to Alfuraiji.

However, Escondido police told NBC 7 clues to the killing were uncovered on Sanchez's Snapchat account in the form of text messages--not video or pictures.

Plascencia would not confirm the details of the Snapchat video saying the investigation was ongoing. The investigation may reveal additional participants, she said.

Sanchez was arrested during a traffic stop at Ash Street and Grand Avenue on Sunday, three days after the crime, police said.

Gendron and Rosado said they would often hang out with the defendant and the victim.

When asked if they could think of what may have prompted Alfuraiji's death, Gendron said that Sanchez had said he wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.

"He was twisted," Rosado said.

A woman who has known the suspect told NBC 7 the suspect used Snapchat to share God told him to create a list of people to kill. The snap was posted approximately one month ago, the woman said.

Gendron also recalled hearing of "the list" from Sanchez.

As for the victim's family, his grandmother was in court for the hearing.

“They are dealing with the death of a loved one, a young man so they are trying to process everything at this time,” Plascencia said.

Anyone with information can call Detective John O’Donnell at (760) 839-4756, or leave an anonymous tip at 760-743-TIPS (8477).

Buckingham Palace announced Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip, won't carry out public engagements starting this fall, NBC News reported.

"The duke has the full support of the queen," the palace said in a statement.

The 95-year-old Duke of Edinburgh will still attend previously scheduled events between now and August, including an event at St. James' Palace on Thursday morning.

Before the announcement, the palace had called Queen Elizabeth II's closest aides and other royal officials into an unusual last-minute meeting early in the morning. But officials said there was "no cause for concern."

Firefighters quickly put out a brush fire behind an apartment complex and businesses in the College Area.

It started Wednesday around 4 a.m. on 67th Street, near Amherst Street. 

Firefighters believe it may have started in a homeless encampment.

The area has a lot of debris that could have fueled the flames, but crews responded very quickly and prevented the fire from spreading to the buildings nearby. 

Everyone is okay.

A fire investigator will be assessing the area to make sure there's nothing suspicious in how the fire started.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Amid speculation that Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren could run for president, she told a women's group Wednesday night there will soon be a woman in the White House, NBC News reported.

"We're going to shatter the glass ceiling into so many pieces that the Donald Trumps and Mitch McConnells of the world will never be able to put it back together again!" Warren said, at the annual fundraising gala for Emily's List, which works to elect female Democrats.

"The way things are going, if the next 3 years and 261 days are like Donald's first 100 days — I wonder if America will ever be ready for a male president again," she continued at the event Hillary Clinton keynoted in early 2015, weeks before she announced her presidential campaign.

Warren hasn't spoken about her own presidential ambitions, dodging the question on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Wednesday. But in the speech she borrowed a line from Clinton and took a shot at Bill O'Reilly, the former Fox News host who was recently parted ways with the network over sexual harassment allegations.