Hall H: To some, it’s just a section of the San Diego Convention Center, but to a devoted Comic-Con fanatic, hearing those two little words can trigger a whirl of emotions.

Despite its capacity to hold 6,500 fans, Hall H remains the toughest room to get into during Comic-Con. It's a place where the biggest news in entertainment breaks during the four-day pop culture convention, the place where studios like Warner Bros. and Disney unleash major announcements, the place where A-list celebrities drop by, sometimes unexpectedly.

Being in the audience for those moments of pure, gleeful fandom isn’t easy. Getting into Hall H takes strategy and hours of patience and persistence. Hall H makes no secret of this.

A Twitter account created for the line to get into the room – dubbed @HallHLine – gives it to fans straight, describing itself like this in its bio: “I am the longest, nerdiest, most demoralizing line at any convention center ever made and that’s just how you like it. Come get in me."

Only the most willing and dedicated fans can endure the task of making through the Hall H line. With this will come lifelong memories and a chance to be part of a special community of fans who wait, year after year, for those four glorious days of Comic-Con.

Any Hall H expert will tell you, the best strategy for making it into Hall H is to be prepared. Here are some things that will help you “live long and prosper” when waiting in that line.

Sunscreen, Protective Gear

As they say, the early bird gets the worm, and the same goes for getting into Hall H. You should anticipate waiting anywhere between 12 to 24 hours to get in. For instance, if you want to attend a “Game of Thrones” panel that starts at 4 p.m. on a Friday, you should plan on getting in line 10 to 12 hours beforehand. That wasn’t a typo. Again, Hall H is only for the most dedicated of fans.

Once you’re in line during the day, and you get there early enough, you’ll get prime real estate: a shaded location under the tents right outside the hall.

If not, get ready to brave that San Diego sunshine. Sunscreen and protective sun wear, like sunglasses or a hat, are critical items to bring with you. The last thing you want is to be sunburned while watching a “Walking Dead” panel.

The good news though is that once you're in Hall H, your body temperature will quickly cool. Despite the thousands of people filling up the room, it still gets pretty chilly inside. Bring a light jacket or blanket for optimal comfort inside Hall H.

Cleanliness is Key: Hygiene Supplies

The only thing worse than waiting in line more than 12 hours, is waiting in line with a bunch of sweaty fellow fans. Cleanliness is essential, and part of surviving Hall H is making sure you don't turn any potential friends away because of your body odor.

Since you won’t be able to shower while waiting, plan to bring essentials like face wipes, deodorant, and a disposable toothbrush – the travel section at any store should have you covered. If you’re waiting in line more than 12 hours, you might also consider a change of clothes, but remember to pack lightly. You’ll be bringing everything in Hall H with you, and there are no lockers.

Once you’re in line, you must stay there. If you’re planning on waiting alone, you'll need to make friends in line who can help you save your spot, in case you need a bathroom break.

The restrooms at the Hilton Bayfront (in the lobby or second level) are the perfect place to freshen up. You may even be lucky enough to see a famous face roaming around like that time I washed my hands there, right next to Joss Whedon.

Stay Hydrated and Bring Healthy Snacks

Water is so important to survival in the Hall H line, especially if you're in the sun. Bring a refillable water bottle that will also keep your water cool. There are water fountains behind the San Diego Convention Center, and sometimes they have a refill station.

Healthy snacks are also crucial; easy things to munch on – protein bars, granola bars, fruit – will cover the waiting in line part. You’re allowed to bring food into Hall H, so definitely pack a lunch, maybe a sub sandwich that you can divide into two meals and eat throughout the panels.

There are food vendors in the Hall H lobby, but the selection is limited (pizza, nachos, burgers).

Charge Up

With lots of time to kill waiting in that Hall H line, you’ll probably spend a good portion of it on your phone, which means you’ll be quickly draining that battery. Bring a portable charger to keep your devices running smoothly.

If you get in line early enough to wait under the tents, there are power outlets attached to the columns. If you’re next to one, bring a multi-outlet to share with other people in line. This will help you make friends in no time.

Since you’ll have to bring all of your items with you into Hall H, only bring the essentials to pass the time (leave the flat-screen TV at home): your phone, headphones, a small tablet, card games, books.

Inside Hall H, cell phone service is limited, so give your friends and family a heads up that you won’t be able to be reached for a while. Plus, if you're on your phone during the Hall H panels, you're doing it all wrong.

Inflatable Lounge Chair or Folding Chair

Camping overnight with complete strangers may not seem very pleasant, but for some, it’s part of the excitement and experience of making it inside Hall H.

If you’re one of the committed fans willing to sleep in line overnight, comfort will be key, so bring something to sleep on like an inflatable lounger or folding chair. Add a sleeping bag and earplugs, and you may even be able to get some sleep as you wait.

The terrain behind the convention center, where the Hall H line winds around, varies from grass to cement. A chair or lounger will keep you comfortable no matter where you land in the line.

There are many things you can do to customize the experience of waiting in the Hall H line. These tips are a start to surviving the long haul.

Though daunting, at times, embracing the line with a good attitude is your best bet. Think of it as a way to meet others who share common interests and your same enthusiasm for Comic-Con.

Once you get into the hall, it’s easy: just kick back, relax and bask in all of Hall H’s geeky glory.

This year, Hall H panels include “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” on Thursday with huge names like Halle Berry, Colin Firth, Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges, the casts from “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones” on Friday, Warner Bros., Marvel and Entertainment Weekly with Charlize Theron on Saturday, and “Supernatural” and “Doctor Who” on Sunday.

Good luck!

A reckless driver was taken into custody Tuesday morning after leading police on a chase that ended when he lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into a fence and utility pole in a South Los Angeles neighborhood.

The driver was wanted for driving recklessly and refused to stop as officers gave chase, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The pursuit of the Nissan Titan made its way down surface streets with the driver weaving through traffic.

Near the corner of 80th and Figueroa streets, the driver appeared to attempt a left turn but lost control, jumped the curb, collided with a fence and broke a utility pole at its base.

With the utility pole dangling above the truck, the driver got out of the vehicle and surrendered to officers.

Funnyman Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show will bring a star-studded lineup to downtown San Diego this week -- from actress Halle Berry to the cast of "Game of Thrones."

For the third year, O'Brien will tape his TBS show at the historic Spreckels Theatre on Broadway, an event known to his fans as "ConanCon." It's O'Brien's way to join in on the phenomenon that is San Diego Comic-Con International.

And, as in prior "ConanCon" years, the shows will feature huge Hollywood stars.

Wednesday's taping features the cast of "Bright," including Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Lucy Fry, and director David Ayer, as well as stars of TV's "Supernatural," Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles.

Thursday's show will boast serious A-listers from the cast of "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," including Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Pedro Pascal, Taron Egerton and Colin Firth.

On Friday, O'Brien will sit and chat with the cast of "The Lego Ninjago Movie": Dave Franco, Olivia Munn, Justin Theroux, Zach Woods, Michael Pena, Kumail Nanjiani and Abbi Jacobson.

On Saturday, winter is coming. 

O'Brien will host the cast of "Game of Thrones" including Alfie Allen, Jacob Anderson, John Bradley, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham, Nathalie Emmanuel, Conleth Hill, Sophie Turner and Isaac Hempstead Wright.

The tapings are free for fans, but each one has already reached capacity.

When "ConanCon" took over the Spreckels Theatre in 2015 and 2016, fans lined up outside the venue for hours each day hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrities as they made their way into the tapings. Even O'Brien himself walked past the crowd, stopping for selfies with some fans.

San Diego Comic-Con will be held at the San Diego Convention Center Thursday through Sunday, with the preview night on Wednesday.

A piece of construction equipment broke free and crashed into a shed in Emerald Hills, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) confirmed.

The incident occurred at 11:22 p.m. on the 700 block of Winston Drive near Roswell Street. 

Fire officials said a part of construction equipment came free, rolled down a slope and struck a shed.

There were no injuries reported.

No other information was available.

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

President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin a second time during the G-20 summit earlier this month, a White House official confirmed to NBC News.

Trump spoke to Putin at the end of a couples-only social dinner at the summit in Hamburg, Germany, the official said. The pull-aside conversation is considered less formal than an official bilateral meeting, which Trump and Putin also shared at the summit.

The White House did not previously disclose or offer a record of the meeting at the dinner, where Putin was seated next to first lady Melania Trump.

The New York Times described it as a private, hourlong conversation and the contents of the meeting remain unknown. 

July 18 marks one year since the NBC 7 Responds team began helping consumers across San Diego. 

Over the last year, more than 800 consumers came to the team, looking for answers to their consumer-related problems. 

The largest amount of money recovered involved collection notices sent out in error on behalf of a local ambulance company, Rural/Metro. Combined, NBC 7 Responds was able to help 86 consumers, totaling over $150,000. 

To read more about the collections error, click here.  

In addition to the collection notices, resolved complaints related to car issues totaled $44,784.65. This includes helping a consumer receive a replacement vehicle, a major repair and a refund. 

Of all the complaints, the most common were complaints centered around cell phone contracts and warranties for broken appliances. 

To read more tips NBC 7 Responds has learned while helping consumers over the past year, click here.

If you have a problem or complaint you would like the team to look into, call or submit this form.

A federal class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of 10 homeless people, who claim the city of San Diego is violating their constitutional rights by issuing citations under the city’s encroachment ordinance.

The lawsuit is challenging the ordinance, which essentially prohibits placing objects in a public right of way. In this case, the objects are the personal belongings of the homeless.

“Essentially, as soon as someone puts their belongings on the sidewalk, they can be cited or arrested by police and that’s unconstitutional. We can’t criminalize people just for existing, just for their status of being homeless,” said attorney Kath Rogers.

Rogers said the original intent of the ordinance was to address the placement of trash cans and dumpsters. But now it's evolved into an attempt to manage the homeless population. Rogers said it’s making a difficult problem even worse.

“Citations, arrests, warrants for arrests are counterproductive to getting off the street. It’s hard to get off the street and get a job and get housing when you have a warrant for your arrest,” said Rogers.

One of the plaintiffs in the case is Sheri Pasanen, who said she lived under a freeway overpass for more than a year. She feels lucky to only have one citation.

“Where are you going to put your stuff during the time you’re gone. You can’t take it on a bus, so where are you going to put it?” asked Pasanen.

There have been a growing number of arrests and citations, since the encroachment ordinance went into effect in 2008, according to NBC 7's partner Voice of San Diego.

Statistics show that number grew from less than 200 in 2009, to 1,400 in 2013, to 2,200 last year.

Rogers said attorneys have asked a judge to rule that the city is violating constitutional rights of the homeless.

There was no comment available from the city attorney's office. A spokesperson said the lawsuit is still being reviewed.

A Southwestern College student told the Dean of Students she would bring a gun to campus so "everyone will look at what is going on," prompting the school to issue a safety alert, according to a restraining order obtained by NBC 7. 

The school issued the safety alert last week after student Nataliya Holmes made the "credible threat of violence," according to Lillian Leopold, Chief Public Information and Government Relations Officer for the college.

Last week, Holmes had a meeting with the Dean of Student Services, according to the restraining order.

During the meeting, she said she was going to bring a gun to campus so "everyone will look at what is going on," according to the restraining order. 

The college then contacted the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team and issued an alert. 

On Friday, the school filed a restraining order. 

Holmes' Facebook posts are filled with mentions of transgender equality.  Her most recent one on Monday noted how she wanted to file a complaint about not having urinals in every women's restroom.

She also wrote how walking around on Southwestern's campus in a bra or underwear for three days opened her eyes to the potential that she has the brain of a woman, but the anatomy of a man.

A man accused of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend was arrested Tuesday in El Cajon, confirmed police.

The alleged kidnapping happened in the early morning on Monday, according to El Cajon police. Around 5 a.m., a witness called police to report that a woman's ex-boyfriend physically dragged her away, forced her into his car and drove off.

The witness said that both she and the victim are homeless women. They were sleeping together near the campus of an elementary school, on the 500 block of West Madison Avenue.

She woke up when she heard the victim struggling to get away, before she was forcibly taken in his car, said police.

At about 11 a.m. Tuesday, detectives investigating the case discovered both the victim and the suspect sleeping in a parked car in the parking lot by a shopping center. It's located in the Point Loma area of San Diego.

Police arrested the ex-boyfriend, identified as 55-year-old Mark David Dabrowski, without further incident. He will be booked into San Diego County jail for kidnapping and domestic violence charges.

An investigation is underway.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a $1 million proposal to distribute body-worn cameras to members of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. 

Beginning in August, the cameras will be worn by deputies patrolling Ramona and Alpine. The rest of the department will be assigned cameras over the next four to five months.

Sheriff Bill Gore spoke to NBC 7 on Monday and explained the department's process of researching cameras. 

"We realized a long time ago this is the future of law enforcement. It’s a critical tool that we have," Gore told NBC 7.

Gore said the department started the process a few years ago, with a pilot project for about 90 days.  

"We took a time out after our pilot and said, 'We want to do this right – not necessarily fast,'" said Gore. 

He said the department chose a platform that will allow them to integrate all spare videos into one place.

Since the biggest expense with body-worn cameras is storing the video, the department has looked into creating their own video storage system through a bidding process, said Gore.

“We’re hoping it’s going to cost about a quarter of what other agencies our size are spending on this very valuable technology," said Gore.

Gore said the video storing process, if successful, will be made available to other departments in San Diego County so they can save money too.

Police are searching for several suspects wanted in connection with a robbery at a Mira Mesa home in early July.

The robbery happened on July 1 at a home in the 7000 block of Embry Point near Bacadi Drive, according to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD).

That evening, approximately 80 to 100 people were at the victim's home prior to the incident, attending a party. Some of those people were invited guests, and others were not, officials said. 

Police responded to the home that evening, giving the host a first response notice. 

Shortly after, the victim asked guests to leave his party. 

That's when a group of four to six strangers showed up and attempted to get inside the victim's home, police said. When the victim tried to stop them, the confrontation turned into a physical altercation.

The victim was beaten inside his home, police said. The suspects stole his wallet and phone and took off in two separate vehicles.

One of the suspected vehicles is believed to be a white Mazda 3 driven by a woman. That car slammed into a parked car on Embry Way before driving off, police said.

The suspects are described to be in their 20s, but police do not have a more detailed description.

Anyone with information is asked to call San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888)580-8477. A $1,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to an arrest.

As students start to go back-to-school shopping, many will have fidget spinners on their lists.

Fidget spinners are a popular hand-held gadget that continuously spin using magnets as you hold them.

The item gained popularity on the basis that it could reduce anxiety and hyperactivity by making the person focus on the spinning rather than nervous energy.

"If you think the fidget spinner will help you, then it will help you," said Dr. Michael Mantell, Ph.D. a transformational behavior coach in San Diego. "There is not one shred of data that says the 40 million people with anxiety or the 6 million kids with A.D.H.D. will necessarily do better with the fidget spinner unless they tell themselves this helps.”

Dr. Mantell added the fidget spinner can help people to focus on the present instead of the future, which can reduce anxiety in itself.

“When we make the prediction something bad is going to happen, we make ourselves anxious," said Dr. Mantell. "What we ought to do is be more mindful and present."

Some teachers have banned fidget spinners from their classrooms, saying they are a distraction.

WATCH, a consumer advocacy group, warns that small pieces can fall off fidget spinners, which can become lodged in a child's throat.

A Good Samaritan rushed to the side of an unconscious El Cajon police officer, using his radio to call for help, confirmed police.

The assault first happened Monday morning at approximately 10 a.m. when officers responded to a petty theft in progress at the Dollar Tree on Fletcher Parkway, near Johnson Avenue, according to El Cajon Police Lt. Rob Ransweiler. 

The location is approximately a block away from the Parkway Plaza mall, north of Interstate 8.

When officers arrived, they were told the suspect - later identified as Daniel Cook - had left their store and moved to the nearby KFC Restaurant. The employees there also called the police, telling them he was stealing soda from their fountain. 

One officer arrived and contacted Cook inside the restaurant. 

Cook became violent, Ransweiler said, and repeatedly punched the victim officer, knocking him unconscious. Even when the officer was unconscious, Cook continued to punch the officer, officials said. 

The 28-year veteran of the department was transported to the hospital with significant injuries, officials said. 

Once Cook stopped assaulting the officer, an MTS employee rushed to the officer and grabbed his radio, calling for help. 

"Since the downed officer was alone, it may have taken much longer to get medical aid to him if it were not for the quick thinking and willingness to get involved of this Good Samaritan," Ransweiler said in a statement.

Cook fled the scene, running away on Fletcher Parkway. 

When officers found the suspect there, he ignored police commands to surrender and took a fighting stance. 

Officers used an electronic control device to help take Cook into custody. At the time, he had drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine on him. 

He was booked into San Diego County Jail on attempted murder of a police officer, mayhem, robbery, threat of crime with intent to terrorize, probation revocation, possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of controlled substance charges. 

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the El Cajon Police Department at 619-579-3311.

The City of Imperial Beach and two other California cities is suing dozens of the world's biggest oil companies over climate change.

Mayor Serge Dedina said Imperial Beach has already started to see the effects of climate change impact the city first-hand. 

"We did a sea level rise release study and we had scientists do an assessment of what would happen in the future here," said Dedina.

Those numbers came out two years ago, and Dedina said flooding has only gotten worse.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Superior Court, challenges 37 global oil, gas and coal companies. Some of the largest names include Exxon Mobil, Shell, and Chevron.

The companies are directly responsible for the climate change some coastal cities are experiencing, he said. 

"We are working with a whole group of scientists that have measured their carbon inputs in the environment," Dedina said.

NBC 7 reached out to the American Petroleum Institute, one of the companies being sued by Dedina.

In a statement, they said:

"The United States is leading the world in the production and refining of oil and natural gas, creating thousands of American high paying jobs, saving consumers at the pump and in heating and cooling costs, while we are also leading the world in reducing carbon emissions which are near 25 year lows. We are also investing more than double that of any other industry in zero- and low-emissions technologies and almost as much as the federal government."

Dedina said the companies' greenhouse gas emissions are warming the planet, melting the glaciers and in turn, making the sea-level rise.

"We are talking about [Date Street], Seacoast Drive. We are talking about Bayfront, and two elementary schools could be impacted by coastal flooding," he said.

Imperial Beach is surrounded by water on three sides. Dedina said flooding became a problem during El Nino's tropical storms and the rainy months in the winter. 

It's been an issue for the past two to three years, he said. 

Dedina said he believes that in less than 100 years, the city will have to deal with beach erosion, property loss, and readjusting infrastructure systems that control wastewater.

There is currently a political and popular debate concerning whether climate change exists.

Mayor Dedina said he hopes to get a response from the companies by September.

The Minneapolis police officer in the car with the fellow patrolman who fatally shot an Australian woman said he was "startled by a loud sound" before the shooting, NBC News reported.

Officer Matthew Harrity spoke with investigators Tuesday about the incident. He "indicated that he was startled by a loud sound near the squad" and that Justin Ruszczyk then approached the car's driver's side window, according to investigators.

"Harrity indicated that Officer [Mohammed] Noor discharged his weapon, striking Ruszczyk through the open" window, investigators said, though the significance of the sound in the shooting was not clear.

Ruszczyk, who had taken her fiance's last name of Damond, was fatally shot by Noor on Saturday night as he and Harrity responded to her 911 call about a possible assault near her home, authorities said. Noor has declined interviews at this time.

Hundreds of wells that provide water to millions of residents in California's Central Valley are tainted with a chemical that some experts say is one of the most powerful cancer-causing agents in the world, NBC News reported.

Tuesday, the State of California is set to take the first step to regulate the substance — called 1,2,3, TCP — but test data compiled by an activist group show it has also been detected by utilities across the country.

Some who live in this lush farmland believe the chemical is to blame for the health problems of their family members and neighbors.

"The word that really captures all of it is 'outrage,'" Jerry Tinoco, 45, who is from the city of Arvin, told NBC News. He says at least three close family members have been diagnosed with cancer. "It's a man-made chemical, so someone is to blame."

In countries that helped give Donald Trump the presidency in 2016, voters support his stances on American jobs and foreign affairs but don't seem to like his personal style, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

In the 439 key "Trump counties" polled, 75 percent support his bargaining with global companies to keep jobs in America. There was also majority support for his response to North Korea's missile tests and Syria's chemical weapons, as well as his travel ban.

However, 62 percent oppose Trump's use of Twitter to express his opinions. A majority also opposed his attempt to replace "Obamacare," his refusal to release his tax returns and his dealing with Russian interference in the election.

The NBC/WSJ poll, conducted July 8-12, surveyed a total of 600 adults in the 439 counties and has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 4.0 percentage points.

The high elevation of Denver, Colorado is not agreeing with the San Diego Padres. The Friars continued their seven game road trip with the second of three against the Colorado Rockies Tuesday night. Before the game the Padres placed catcher Austin Hedges on the seven day concussion disabled list. Hedges was listed Monday as a starter but was scratched off the Friars lineup. Hedges was sent back to San Diego to get out of the high elevation where he was re-examined by the team doctor.

Dinelson Lamet made his first career start against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday. The Dominican pitcher was hoping for a win on his 25th birthday, but things did not work out that way. The righty was pulled off the mound after allowing six runs and four hits in just four innings of work.

The Padres offense did have some bright spots, though. In the fifth inning Wil Myers homered to left center field to give the Friars a 4-3 lead. The solo shot was Myers’ 17th home run of the season. The Rockies answered back with four more runs in the bottom half of the inning.

By the seventh inning the Padres were trailing 9-6. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje gave Friars fans something to cheer about when he launched his first big league home run to right center field. His 420 foot solo shot put the Friars within reach, but the Rockies won 9-7.

The final game of the set is Wednesday July 19th at 12:10 p.m. PST from Coors Field.

Authorities are searching for a missing at-risk 72-year-old man in the Ocean Beach area of San Diego Tuesday night.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), James Burks was last seen around 6 p.m. after he left his residence on the 4600 block of Newport Avenue near Ebers Street.

Police said Burks left in his 2004 two-door Toyota Tacoma with a California License plate of 7MI3003.

Burks is diagnosed with dementia and he had not driven in five years.

He is 5-feet 10-inches in height, 175 pounds with hazel eyes and gray hair. He was wearing a white or tan t-shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call San Diego police.

Video of a police officer arresting a woman who was selling flowers without a permit near a high school graduation last month has sparked controversy on social media.

Perris police released a statement Monday noting they were in the area of Perris Boulevard and Nuevo Road for the Perris High School graduation ceremony on June 7, where street vendors were selling products to people stuck in traffic.

Officers "contacted, warned and cited" about 15 people for selling without proper city permits before they approached a vendor later identified as 52-year-old Juanita Mendez-Medrano of Fontana, who was selling flower bouquets and Hawaiian leis, also without a permit, according to police.

"Unlike the other vendors, Ms. Mendez-Medrano refused to cooperate as necessary to allow our officer to issue her a citation," a statement from Perris police said.

Police added she refused to tell officers her real name, gave them several fake names, tried to walk away and pushed the officer. The cop then tried to arrest her for "violating the city ordinance and obstructing justice."

Christian Lem, 23, walked by the incident. He told NBC4 he started taking pictures when the officer knocked flowers out of the woman's arms, and he started recording video on his tablet when the officer grabbed her arm.

Perris police said the officer was holding her arm to "prevent her from fleeing."

In the video Lem recorded and posted to Twitter, the officer and the woman appear to struggle briefly before what police described as a "physical struggle" as the officer tries to arrest her.

The video shows the officer grab the woman's ponytail, spin the woman around and onto the ground with her leis and bouquets before the officer briefly covers her mouth and kneels on her leg while trying to arrest her.

In the recording, Mendez-Medrano can be heard using an expletive in Spanish, saying that she is in pain and that the officer is arresting someone who is trying to make an honest living.

Lem said "it hurt" seeing the arrest unfold.

"I put myself in the shoes of her son or nephew as if it was my mom or aunt getting mistreated, and it hurt me inside," he said.

Before the struggle, Lem — who speaks Spanish — said the woman told the officer in Spanish she could not understand what he was saying and that the officer told her to "speak English" because she is in America.

Lem noted he also exchanged words with the "flustered" officer.

As of Tuesday evening, his video had over 13,000 retweets, 16,000 likes and hundreds of comments. 

The statement from Perris police says the struggle occurred after Mendez-Medrano resisted "efforts to gain her cooperation."

"Unfortunately, the video did not capture the other vendors cooperating with the citation process, nor did it capture our officer's repeated efforts to convince Ms. Mendez-Medrano to do the same," the statement read. "As with most police events, the short, publicly produced video does not have the full context or content of the incident seen on the video."

Mendez-Medrano was booked into Southwest Detention Center and her fingerprints confirmed her "true identity," according to Perris police. Riverside County Sheriff's inmate records show she is due in court on Aug. 25.

Telemundo reached out to Mendez-Medrano, but she declined to comment on the incident. Telemundo is owned by Comcast through NBCUniversal.