La Jolla residents awoke Wednesday to two shootings in the tony seaside neighborhood but San Diego police are still working to determine whether the incidents are related.

A shooting at a home in the 1400-block of Cottontail Lane stemmed from an argument between the homeowner and his former brother-in-law police said.

The shooting suspect, Hans Petersen, went to the home of a 43-year-old man just before 7 a.m. and shot him in the torso according to police.

Police said the homeowner, now identified as realtor Ronald Fletcher, grabbed the gun and struck Petersen in the head, injuring him.

A nearby resident, veterinarian Trevor Garb, called police reporting gunshots near his home La Jolla Rancho Road.

Garb told NBC 7 minutes before he and his wife heard a man screaming around the corner about a business failure and infidelity among other things. He said the man’s speech sounded slurred.

“We were figuring out what to do and then shortly after that we heard a gunshot,” Garb said.

Then another gunshot was heard several minutes later.

Garb got his own wife and children out of their home and called 911.

When police arrived to the home on Cottontail Lane, the victim was transported to Scripps La Jolla. No word on the extent of his injuries.

Petersen, 48, was arrested at the scene and transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

From aerial views, it appears the Cottontail Lane home has a guest house behind the main home with a pool. There's a boat and three vehicles in the driveway.

Police said there were two girls inside the home at the time of the shooting.

Investigators are looking into whether there is any connection to this incident and another shooting that occurred hours earlier about a mile away.

A resident of Waverly Avenue in the Bird Rock area was shot through his bedroom window and rushed into surgery, officials said.

Officers say a 53-year-old man was awakened by gunfire around 3 a.m. They say he got out of bed and was struck by one bullet from his backyard.

Investigators said the suspect ran away through the back alley. There has been no suspect description released.

“We have to talk to the victim and his family a little more to figure out what’s going on,” said San Diego police Sgt. Tom Underwood.

A neighbor told NBC 7 he heard five shots around the same time this morning. He identified the victim as a professor at the University of California, San Diego.

Police later confirmed the victim is UCSD School of Medicine professor Steven Dowdy.

Dowdy was taken to a nearby hospital where he was said to be in surgery for a non-life threatening wound to the torso-area.

“We have a quiet neighborhood and you feel very safe. This rocks your thoughts about what’s going on,” said Bird Rock resident Michael Jaffe. “We’ve recently started having our young kids walk to elementary school. It makes you think twice now.”

San Diego police updated the investigation at 8:30 a.m. to say there are no outstanding suspects in either shooting but would not discuss how the shootings were related.

Officials are still investigating the incidents. Check back for updates as new details develop.
 

View La Jolla Shootings Reported in a larger map

More than 11 years after losing her 5-year-old son in a distracted driver accident, a San Diego mother shared her tragic story Wednesday in hopes of preventing other families from suffering a similar experience.

Parent advocate Elene Bratton spoke at Rady Children’s Hospital as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, held through Sept. 21 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Alongside representatives from the hospital and the Automobile Club of Southern California, the City Heights resident shared the story of how one instance of distracted driving changed her family’s life forever.

The day was April 24, 2002.

Bratton said her sister, Angela, had planned to pick up her son, Jamie Morgan Mychael Bratton (pictured above), from school and spend the day with him.

With Jamie in the car, Bratton said the last thing her sister remembers is reaching for her cell phone, which was ringing on the seat next to her.

As Angela reached for the phone, she made a turn, lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a truck.

Jamie was critically injured in the collision and airlifted to Rady Children’s Hospital. The boy – exactly one month shy of his 6th birthday – later died at the hospital.

Bratton said her sister survived, but suffered a traumatic brain injury that impacts her life to this day. She also lives with the pain of knowing that one moment of distraction behind the wheel took Jamie’s young life.

“Jamie was in the back seat, buckled up as he should’ve been,” said Bratton. “But his little body couldn’t withstand the impact that happened when [my sister] lost control of her vehicle and made a left-hand turn into traffic.”

Through tears, Bratton said she often thinks about how things could’ve been different had the accident not claimed her son’s life.

“My family has been grappling now for 11 years with the impact of what distracted driving does,” she said. “Every day I think about my son, and every day I wish that he was here and that I was just a mother of a 17-year-old, taking him to soccer or whatever he would be doing in his life now. I don’t know what my son looks like anymore.”

Bratton said she hopes her family’s story serves as a warning to drivers to make safety a priority and avoid every possible distraction behind the wheel.

Since Jamie’s death, the mother co-founded Jamie’s Joy, a San Diego-based foundation dedicated to helping children in need and raising awareness for traffic safety.

Through the foundation and her family’s story, Bratton said she keeps the legacy of her son alive.

“Jamie’s legacy is love, peace, joy and connection,” she said. He was a beautiful, active boy who loved people and loved life. He had a lot of life left to live.”

According to the NHTSA, in 2011 a total of 3,331 people were killed in crash involving a distracted driver while 387,000 people were injured.

“Buckle up every trip,” said Mary Beth Moran on Wednesday, program manager for the Center of Healthier Communities at Rady Children’s Hospital.

“Avoid the dangers of distracted driving,” she added.

In addition, the NHTSA says more than one-third of children under the age of 13 who died in car crashes in 2011 were not in car seats or wearing seat belts. The NHTSA wants to remind caregivers of the importance of the proper use of car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

To determine if your child is in the right seat for his or her age and size, visit this website.

To learn more about distracted driving from the NHTSA, click here.
 

An attorney for a Saudi princess whose human trafficking case was dropped on Friday said justice was served and the nightmare has ended for a revered member of a prominent family.

An Orange County Superior Court judge dismissed the case against Meshael Alayban, 42, saying there was not enough evidence that she enslaved her maid in her Southern California condo.

"Justice was done in this case," her attorney Paul S. Meyer said after Friday's court hearing in Santa Ana. "The princess is now and has always been innocent of human trafficking."

Meyer said the case was a nightmare for an "exceptional" family in Saudi Arabia.

"The dismissal today answers the prayers of 26 million people," Meyer said. "The princess is free. People have been praying for that."

The decision came during a hearing at which she was expected to be arraigned on one count of human trafficking and could have faced up to 12 years in prison, if convicted.

Alyban's lawyers traveled the world -- to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Africa -- to track down friends and family of the accuser and other people who work for the princess, Meyers said.

Meyers said those attorneys collected photos of the accuser allegedly living in the lap of luxury while working for the royal family. He added that those pictures were eventually deleted from social media sites.

The case broke in July when a maid from Kenya told police she escaped an Irvine condo. She told police she was paid $220 a month for 16-hour days, seven days a week, with no time off.

Among her duties were cooking, cleaning and caring for at least eight people in the condo complex, officials said.

Prosecutors said they were dropping charges because the investigation showed it was not human trafficking.

"We had reason to believe they were true," said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas after Friday's hearing. "Bringing the case under the circumstances was the right thing to do. At the time, it appeared the evidence would corroborate what the victims said."

Alayban and her attorneys likened the case to a contract dispute and said the maid and her counterparts were treated well.

Alayban is one of six wives to a grandson of the king of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. She came to the U.S. with her three children on a vacation visa and has been in Irvine since at least May, officials said.

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A visibly upset Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel spoke at a prayer vigil for the victims of a Thursday shooting that left 13 people injured in a city park.

"This is the real face of Chicago," said to an emotional crowd of community leaders and residents. "Last night is a reality of Chicago, but this is the real face of Chicago. And last night is too frequent and familiar for some children in Chicago. That has to come to an end."

Witnesses said several gunmen fired at least 20 shots at a group gathered at Cornell Square Park shortly before 10:15 p.m. The spray of bullets sent a mass of people to the ground on the basketball courts.

The victims included 10 males and three females, including 3-year-old Deonte Howard -- known as "Tay-man" -- who was shot in the jaw and listed in critical condition as of 3 a.m. The boy was with his mother. She was not injured, a police spokesman said.

The mayor talked about how the community was heartbroken over the shooting, and said he wished people could see what he saw while visiting the families of some of the victims.

"We cannot allow children in the city of Chicago, and we will not allow children in the city of Chicago, to have their youthfulness, their optimism, their hope taken from them," he said. "That’s what gun violence does. That is wrong."

The Mayor was joined by Pastor Corey Brooks, who has acted a spokesman for Howard's family, and other community leaders.

Emanuel and Brooks emphasized that for a city to have its sense of civility, it must live by a "moral code," and not a "code of silence."

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Friday an assault-style rifle with a high capacity magazine was used in the shooting, and that it appeared to be gang-related.

"The parks in the city of Chicago belong to the families of the city of Chicago, the streets of the city of Chicago belong to families of Chicago, the front stoops of our homes belong to the families of the city of Chicago," Emanuel said. "You go out there and enjoy our city because they do not own or belong or have no place for gangs. And assault weapons do not belong in our parks, they do not belong on our streets."

Emanuel asked that parents and families continue to go out into the community.

"You go back out onto those streets and you work, take care like a family and a community," he said. "If we do that, people will see the Chicago I see and the true character of what we are."

Hong Kong, Miami, Palo Alto.

Just name a city where Apple is a household name and Appleheads were out in force Friday, all waiting to buy the latest iPhones, the 5c and the 5s.

In Palo Alto, Apple CEO Tim Cook made a surprise visit to the Apple store just minutes before the doors opened at 8 a.m.

"Wow," Cook said, reacting to the lines wrapped around the block. "I love it."

He looked jubilant, shaking hands with customers who numbered more than 150 snaking around the block. He hugged employees and signed autographs.

RAW VIDEO: Tim Cook Makes Surprise Visit in Palo Alto

Employees said they had no idea the head of the company was going to be showing up at their store, which in the early morning hours, had looked like a homeless encampment with people sleeping on sidewalks and slumping in camp chairs.

But Apple headquarters are close by in neighboring Cupertino, and visiting the stores was something the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs often did.

The crowds were eager to buy the new iPhone 5c and s, which features a new fingerprint scanner, an upgraded camera with slow-motion video capabilities and a faster processor.

 One person had even been waiting in line outside the Palo Alto store since Monday.

"I just come out here. I love being part of this crowd. I love waiting in line,"  Fitzgerald Geonzon told NBC Bay Area. "It gets boring sometimes, but 10 minutes before the launch, you get a feeling of sensation."

The line at the Palo Alto store was not as long as previous lines like last year's iPhone 5 release, but old habits are hard to break for many Apple faithful.

MORE: Apple's New iPhones Hit Stores Nationwide

"It's fun to stay out here all night," Matthew Hall said. "When else do you get an opportunity to camp out in downtown Palo Alto? So that's fun. Plus my current one is breaking."

One loyal Apple customer - and a former co-founder - was not in line. Steve Wozniak, who is usually at every Apple event, tweeted out that he and his wife were tired on Thursday night to stand in line at their favorite store in Los Gatos.

Too tired for iPhone line tonight. Janet got donut that we took down to for die-hard fans outside the local stores. http://t.co/j5cmXYvoGN

— Steve Wozniak (@stevewoz) September 20, 2013

Across the globe in Hong Kong, customers were already getting their hands on the new phones. The same was true along the East Coast, and pretty much everywhere else where they sell the product.

In Miami, for example, crowds began lining up early, too. Everyone was excited to see the new host of colors. The iPhone 5c comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white – and will be available for a retail price of $99 for the 16 GB model and $199 for the 32 GB model.

The all-new iPhone 5s, Apple's latest update to its line of popular smartphones, comes in gold, silver or space gray, retailing for about $199 for the 16 GB model, $299 for the 32 GB model and $399 for the 64 GB model.

Apple cases for the phone will be available in beige, black, blue, brown, yellow and red for $39 through Apple online store.

All of the new smartphones feature Apple's latest mobile operating system, iOS 7, which is the company's most significant revamp since it launched the original iPhone.

PHOTOS: Apple Fans Line up for First Look at New iPhones

Firefighters responded early Friday to a fire reported along Del Dios Highway in Rancho Santa Fe.

The fire, described as a mulch fire by crews, was first reported near power lines around 5:40 a.m.

After they arrived, firefighters canceled an earlier request for air support.

A very large mulch pile started the fire according to firefighters. The heat in the decomposing mulch can spark a fire, crews told NBC 7.

Crews will be in the area for several hours as they spread out the mulch and extinguish the flames.

Ten engines were called to the scene. San Diego Fire-Rescue was on standby with its two fire helicopters.

No homes were threatened by the fire.

Crews from San Diego Gas and Electric said there was no affect on the nearby power lines not affected by fire but smoke can sometimes be an issue.

San Diegans with relatives struggling in Mexico from devastating flooding waited days for word from small villages left without food, water and basic supplies.

On Friday, Mexican authorities were helping to move emergency supplies and aid victims of massive flooding caused by a series of storms including Tropical Storm Manuel.

Officials report 97 deaths and more than 1 million people have been affected.

San Diego resident Mark Lane said he and his wife, Judith Benitez, are hearing reports of massive mudslides, piles of bodies, orphaned children and people living without food or water in small villages along Mexico’s Pacific coast.

Benitez’ sister, mother and grandmother live in Hacienda de Cabañas in Guerrero-Mexico, located about 90 minutes north of Acapulco. Water from a dam above the village flooded the area, destroying and damaging many homes.

“You think is the worst,” Benitez said through a translator. “You think the worst possible thing is happening.”

After three days without any communication from her family, Benitez was just getting reports Thursday from phone calls and Facebook messages including photos showing water-filled streets of the small, old village and residents stranded on rooftops.

Then suddenly the couple received a phone call from Benitez' aunt describing more rain, rising water and power outages.

The aunt’s home hasn’t been flooded yet but she’s concerned about the government’s need to release water from another dam up river.

As Benitez talked on the phone, her husband translated.

“She's telling her to be careful and be ready in case they need to come evacuate them so she’s ready to go,” he said, explaining the conversation.

Benitez said she feels desperate because her mother’s medicine has run out.

“We’re trying to get them food. They need diapers, they need toothpaste, they need the basic things, they need baby formula,” Lane said. “Whatever was on the first floor of the houses, it was that fast, the stuff is gone.”

He and others in San Diego are trying to find a way to get supplies to the small community even if it means finding a helicopter company to airlift the resources.

“If the bridges are all out, there’s no way to do it by land,” Lane said.

Their friend Jorge Luis Romero, has been having the same difficulties contacting his relatives.

"My family, my grandma, the rest of my family, my aunts, are all are over there and they don't have help from the government yet,” he said.

When some phone lines were repaired Thursday morning, Romero was able to speak with his grandmother.

“When I heard her voice I almost cried,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I got chills all over my body.”

Now, he’s worried because supplies at the village store are depleted. He was collecting flats of bottled water as he spoke with NBC 7 about his hometown.

“We are a small village. We’re apart from the big city,” Romero explained. “A small town, they don’t have any help.”

For Lane and Benitez, it has been frustrating trying to find a way to send a garage-full of supplies gathered from friends and neighbors.

Part of the uncertainty includes finding a bank that will help them send money safely.

In the meantime, all who want to help are invited to bring supplies or donations to a picnic and fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 22 from Noon to 6 p.m., at Mountain View Park, in San Diego.

California’s unemployment rate rose to 8.9 percent last month, according to the Employment Development Department. That’s the second consecutive monthly increase in unemployment statewide.

The jobs picture is brighter in San Diego. According to the EDD, unemployment in San Diego was 7.4 percent in August, down from 7.8 percent in July and 9.2 percent in August 2012.

Still, city officials want to help more San Diegans find work. They’re hoping a new career center downtown will help make that happen.

On Friday, representatives from Bank of America Merrill Lynch presented a $400,000 check to the city. The money will go toward the career center, housed inside the new central library.

“This center is an example of something we want to see in our community: Public and private sectors collaborating to get something done," Interim Mayor Todd Gloria said.

The San Diego Workforce Partnership will operate the center. It will offer free resume advice, interviewing tips and computer classes, in addition to services for veterans.

“If the Great Recession taught us anything, it’s that it’s important to help job seekers become as marketable as possible,” Gloria said

Job seeker Evonne Perryman said the resources in the center give her hope.

“It lets me know pretty soon, I’m going to be working,” Perryman said.

The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Career Center will open Monday, Sept. 30 and is located on the library’s fifth floor. The San Diego Workforce Partnership also has 12 other career centers around the county.

The career center isn’t the only agency to set up shop inside the library. A public charter high school opened there a few weeks ago.

“This building is so much more than just a library,” San Diego Public Library Chair Mel Katz said.

The new library officially opens Saturday, Sept. 28. Gloria anticipates 20,000 people to be in attendance.
 

After a violent attack at a Chicago park left 13 people wounded, including a 3-year-old Deonta Howard, the mother of the toddler pleaded for the shooter to turn himself in.

"They shot my baby in the face with a gun that stands taller than him," said Shamarah Leggett. "For my baby's sake, turn themselves in."

Witnesses said several gunmen fired at least 20 shots at a group gathered at Cornell Square Park, on the 1800 block of W. 51st Street, shortly before 10:15 p.m. The spray of bullets sent a mass of people to the ground on the basketball courts.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said an assault-style rifle with a high capacity magazine was used in the shooting, and police believe the incident was gang-related.

The victims included 10 males and three females, including 3-year-old Deonta Howard -- known as "Tay-man" -- who was shot in the jaw and was listed in critical condition as of 3 a.m. The boy was with his mother. She was not injured, a police spokesman said.

The crime statistics hit close to home for the family of the youngest victim of the city's latest high-profile shooting. Howard's grandmother, Semehca Nunn, said she lost her son to gun violence earlier this month.

"It needs to stop," Nunn said as she broke into tears. 'Y'all are out here killing these innocent people: kids, parents, grandparents, mothers, fathers. It's got to stop. Y'all need to stop."

Thursday's shooting happened nearly three weeks after a deadly Labor Day weekend left dozens injured and at least seven people were killed, including Howard's uncle, the family said.

"I just buried my son, and now I'm going through something else," Nunn said.

Leggett asked that anyone who knows of anything that can help with investigation calls police.

"I just want a person, anybody that knows anything, to help," she said.
 

Four people were hurt, including two court officers, in a brawl that erupted in a New York courthouse Friday between the family of a suspected gunman and relatives of the 17-year-old boy he is accused of gunning down.

Pedro Merchant, 20, had just been ordered held without bail at the courtroom in Hempstead when someone in the courtroom yelled out words of encouragement, something along the lines of "keep your head up," according to a witness and a court spokesman.

That apparently set off the family of the 17-year-old victim, Dante James Quinones-Wright, who was gunned down last week on a Long Island street.

A physical fight erupted in the packed courtroom that quickly spread to the hallway, and eventually spilled into the parking lot.

"It was chaos," said witness Caprice Rines. 

Michael Hart, who was also inside the courtroom, said he was "completely scared for my life."

"I've never, ever at one point felt total chaos completely surround me and not be able to control any little bit of it." 

The brawl forced the court to shut down for 15 minutes. 

Six people were arrested and four were injured, court spokesman Dan Bagnuola said. None of the injuries were serious.

Members of Merchant's family blamed the victim's family for what happened and proclaimed Merchant's innocence.

"I've got a good son, he would never do this," said Terry Merchant, the suspect's father. 

But Quinones-Wright's cousins, who wanted to remain anonymous, insisted they did not instigate the fight and that Merchant's family had threatened them.

"They came in like, 'We're going to get you next,'" said one cousin.

"We were upset that our cousin was killed, but we didn't want a problem with them." 

--Greg Cergol contributed to this story

Police say they're investigating threatening graffiti scrawled on a bathroom wall at a New York high school as a bomb threat. 

A student found the note on a tile wall in a boys bathroom at Nanuet Senior High School in Rockland County Friday afternoon, police said. 

The message written in ink states: “When the third period bell rings, this school will blow up and everyone will remember 9-23."

Clarkstown police and school district officials say they are taking the threat seriously and additional officers are being stationed at the school.

In a statement, superintendent Mark McNeill said "the district takes all threats seriously and considers this a punishable offense."

Police searched the area Friday but didn’t find anything suspicious.

Still, some parents are alarmed by the threat and were considering keeping their children home Monday. 

"I'm very upset about this, and I'm worried for them," said mother Laurie Delbiondo.

Alison Lachiana said she was still indecisive on whether she wanted to send her daughter to school.

"It depends on how scared she's going to be," she said. "I'm a little nervous, to tell you the truth."

Students said the police presence at the school Friday was reassuring.

"I'm kind of frightened about it, but they said a whole bunch of teachers and police officers scanned the bathroom, and on Monday, they said there's going to be a whole bunch of police officers in the alleys and bathrooms," said Joe Diaferia. 

Friday was a big day in San Diego politics. At exactly 5 p.m. on the dot, the highly-anticipated deadline passed for candidates to file papers in the race to become the city’s next mayor.

A total of 19 potential candidates filed their paperwork at the City Clerk’s office within deadline.

NBC 7 San Diego was there as both highly-recognized and lesser-known candidates turned in their papers and the $500 filing fee.

Former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre and Councilman David Alvarez were among those who filed with the City Clerk (see photos below). Nathan Fletcher and Kevin Faulconer also filed their paperwork.

NBC 7 caught up with some of the candidates as they filed.

Prior to filing, Aguirre held a press conference and urged his fellow potential mayoral candidates to accept no more than $250 from any one supporter.

Also earlier in the day, State Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins publicly endorsed Alvarez. Alvarez says he’ll be going door-to-door over the weekend to personally speak with voters.

There was a bit of drama during the final 10-minute countdown before deadline when one lesser-known candidate did not have the money for the filing fee and had to run out to borrow the cash from a family member.

The candidate returned just in the nick of time, making the strict 5 p.m. deadline.

City Clerk Liz Maland said filing does not necessarily mean a candidate will be on the ballot. If a candidate has 200 valid signatures, then he or she can become an official candidate.

Maland says 39 people turned in their 501-forms, which allowed them to begin collecting money for campaigns. From there, 38 people pulled papers.

Finally, on Friday, 19 candidates filed.

“From here, I will contact the Registrar of Voters to validate the signatures,” explained Maland. “Once that’s complete – and we anticipate that by next Wednesday (Sept. 25) -- we’ll know the names of the individuals that will appear on the ballot.”

Then, on Thursday, Maland expects to announce the order in which the candidates’ names will appear on the ballot.
 

The National City School District sent a warning to parents Friday regarding a “suspicious individual” recently seen near several schools.

The safety bulletin sent to parents and guardians said a suspicious person had been observed outside various elementary school campuses in the area, but did not name specific schools.

A suspect description was not released by the school district, but NBC 7 has reached out to the district for further comment.

NBC 7 also reached out the the National City Police Department for more details on the matter. Police say an investigation has been launched, but at this time, could not release a suspect description.

That information is forthcoming, officials said.

The bulletin issued by the school goes on to remind parents to be “especially vigilant regarding strangers and suspicious persons over fall break” and report any suspicious activity to authorities.

The district also said parents and guardians should use this opportunity to remind their children of the importance of safety and avoiding strangers.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Comedian and actor Dave Chappelle is headed to San Diego next month, headlining at downtown's Spreckels Theatre.

The “Chappelle’s Show” funnyman is set to perform on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the venue located at 121 Broadway, #600.

Tickets to the show go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. via LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com, at the Spreckels Theatre Box Office or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Chappelle, 40, is known for his risqué brand of humor.

The 1998 film, “Half Baked,” propelled him into the spotlight. In 2003, he launched “Chappelle’s Show,” his own popular sketch comedy show on Comedy Central.

He abruptly retired from the TV series in 2005, at the peak of its popularity, and reportedly checked himself into a South African mental health facility.

Since then, the comic has stayed largely out of the limelight – that is, until recently.

On Aug. 29 – while headlining the “Funny or Die Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Tour” in Hartford, Conn. – Chappelle rankled fans when he suddenly cut his performance short and sat silently on a stool on stage for nearly a half hour.

He sat on the stool, read from a book and told the crowd he was still getting paid.

According to one witness, Chappelle said the audience was making too much noise, which is why he stopped performing. After giving the audience the silent treatment, he walked off the stage.

The incident left some fans upset and asking for a refund, while others defended Chappelle’s move and blamed the crowd.

After the incident in Hartford, Chappelle has continued to perform with the 15-city “Funny or Die” comedy tour.

At a show in Chicago earlier this month, the comic told the crowd he'll never return to Hartford, adding this punchline:

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to the United States, but if North Korea ever drops a nuclear bomb on this country, I swear to God, I hope it lands in Hartford, Connecticut."

On Friday night, Chappelle will take the stage in Mountain View, Calif., before heading to Las Vegas on Saturday and then Phoenix, Ariz., on Sunday.

A transgender teen made history Friday night when she was crowned homecoming queen at an Orange County high school.

"I'm so proud to win this not just for me but for everyone out there and for every kid -- transgender, gay, straight, black, white, Mexican, Asian. It doesn't matter, you can be yourself," Cassidy Lynn Campbell said after her win.

The high school senior has been sharing her transition from male to female with an audience of more than 18,000 YouTube subscribers in videos that range from fun to deeply personal.

In one video, Campbell shares makeup tips. In another, the 16-year-old gives viewers a lesson in self-injecting estrogen.

Campbell said she couldn't be herself until this year. That's when she started living her life completely as a female.

"I realized it wasn't for me anymore," Campbell said of her homecoming queen candidancy. "I was doing this for so many people all around."

Ahead of the Friday night announcement, students told NBC4 their classmate was a natural winner.

"Everyone at school loves her," one student said.

"She’s super sweet," said another.

With a crown on her head, Cassidy Lynn will preside over Marina High School’s homecoming dance this weekend.

But the win was not without its backlash on social media.

She said she hopes winning the crown will cause some of her critics to rethink their opinions.

"If it can just make them look a little bit differently at myself or anyone else in this world and judge a little less harshly, then it was all worth it," Campbell said.

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At least 13 people have been shot, five of them fatally, in Chicago since Friday, police said.

The weekend violence came just one day after 13 people were injured in a Chicago park.

The victims included 10 males and three females, including 3-year-old Deonta Howard -- known as "Tay-man" -- who was shot in the jaw and listed in critical condition.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said an assault style rifle with a high capacity magazine was used in the park shooting.

McCarthy added that based on witness interviews, the attack appears to be gang-related, as several of the victims are gang members. It is still unclear whether more than one person opened fire, he said.

No one was in custody for the shooting as of Saturday morning.

The weekend's most recent shooting took place just after 5 p.m. Saturday when two people were shot in the Englewood neighborhood.

Police said the shooting took place near 69th Street and South Racine Avenue, where a 19-year-old man and a 22-year-old man were shot.

Chicago Police News Affairs said their conditions were not known and no further details were available on the shooting.

Around 5:35 a.m. Saturday in the 11800 block of South Lowe Avenue a 51-year-old man was shot in the stomach.

The man claimed he heard gunshots and felt pain, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada.

He was transported in serious condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to authorities.

Around 4 a.m. Saturday, a man was shot over a parking spot in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood.

The shooting occurred in the 0-100 block of East Chestnut Street when a 41-year-old man was shot in the abdomen, police said.

The shooter fled in a white car and the man was taken in serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Michael Sullivan.

An hour earlier, two men were shot in the 1200 block of West Washburn Avenue, police said.

A 22-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain, Sullivan said. The man was transported to John H. Stroger Hospital in critical condition where he was later pronounced dead. A second victim, a 23-year-old man, transported himself to the hospital with a wound to the leg.

Around 1:20 a.m., police said a 30-year-old man was exiting the driver’s side of a vehicle when another car drove by and fired several shots.

The man was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition.

On Friday, a 37-year-old man was walking in an alley around 11:10 p.m. in the 6000 block of South Halsted Street when an offender fired shots from behind, police said.

The man was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition.

Earlier Friday, a 21-year-old man was fatally shot in the head in the 6600 block of South Honore Street.

Police said an offender wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans fired shots at the man around 6:30 p.m. and fled the scene.

The man was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital.

Fifteen minutes earlier, an 18-year-old man was shot in the 2200 block of East 71st Street.

The teen was transported to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Sullivan said.

Around 5:30 p.m., a man was shot during a police-involved shooting on the city’s Northwest Side.

Police said an officer observed a car matching the description of a vehicle wanted in connection with burglary in the 6100 block of West Belmont Avenue.

The officer pursued the vehicle and another responding sergeant attempted to curb it in the 5600 block of West Roscoe Street.

The sergeant then exited his vehicle and the offender reversed and intentionally rammed the squad car. The sergeant approached the vehicle, but the offender accelerated forward toward the officer and the officer fired, according to a statement from Chicago Police.

The man was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for his injuries.

Angel Torres, 44, was charged with felony burglary, aggravated assault and armed violence, police said Saturday.

Earlier, a shooting in the Portage Park neighborhood left a man in his 20s with a gunshot wound to the foot, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Daniel O'Brien.

The man was shot around 1:52 p.m. in the 3700 block of North Mobile Avenue and was taken to Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center in good condition, O'Brien said.

A teen was fatally shot minutes earlier around 1:35 p.m. in the 6900 block of South Vernon Avenue.

The teen was shot in the back and pronounced dead at the scene, O'Brien said.

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Two women in Haslet, Texas, hope their new product to fight mosquitoes, made from cow poop, attracts buyers.

"Their first response is, "Does it smell?' So, we have to let them know it's not a stinky product," said Kia Poulos.

"People say, 'I never thought I'd come to the farmer's market to buy poop.' And I say, 'I never thought I'd be selling it or picking it up,'" said Amy Enlow, Kia's friend and business partner.

The women harvest cow poop, put it in a pretty package and sell it as mosquito repellent.

"It is Cow Poop, Organic Mosquito Repellent," said Poulos. "We didn't want to hide what it was."

They got the crazy idea from the Discovery Channel show Survivorman with Les Stroud.

Poulos was watching it one night and saw Stroud burn a cow patty to build a fire then discover that the smoke worked as a bug repellent.

Poulos decided to try it after unsuccessfully using other products.

"Everything they've ever formulated, I've tried," said Poulos. "And mosquitoes love me so much, it seemed never to work. And sure enough, it (the cow patty) works. I was amazed by it."

Poulos and Enlow stroll through a friend's pasture looking for the perfect patty.

"We try never to touch anything that smells," Poulos said.

"If it's green, stay away," said Enlow.

"We're picking up a certain kind of poop," Poulos said. "It has to sit out there long enough to get dried, and it's better if the cows have knocked it over so it's dried on both sides. And you can tell it's just compact grass, which is all that's left once it's gone through the stomach."

The women let the manure dry a few more days, then put it under a UV light to kill any left over bacteria.

They drop the pattys in a burlap bag, stencil the name on it and sell it every Saturday for $7.50 a bag at the Keller Farmers Market and in local mom-and-pop stores.

"You just burn it," explained Poulos. "You're gonna light a piece of dried poop, let it smolder and that smoke is gonna repel all the mosquitoes."

"It does not stink," said Enlow.

"A lot of people walk by and say, 'Ooh, smells like a camp fire.'  So, you get some compliments," Poulos said.

Poulos and Enlow admit, though, it's sometimes tough for people to accept the product, and they've heard their share of jokes.

"We're called 'The Poop Ladies,'" smiled Enlow. "Some people laugh about it. And some people are like, "Ooh, cow poop."

But the ladies are serious about what it can do.

Poulos said, "This is real. It works. And it's just dried cow poop."

The ladies' product can be found at the following locations:
Keller Farmers' Market, Keller
Haslet Feed and Outdoors, Haslet
Dudley Jack Rock & Stone, Fort Worth
McDonnell, Keller
Lucky Luke's', Roanoke
The Classy Cactus, Justin
Shell Gas Station, Roanoke
Marshall Grain, Fort Worth
Foreman's General Store, Colleyville
Krum Farm & Feed Supply, Krum

A pair of Staten Island newlyweds say they recently returned from their honeymoon to find some of the wedding gifts that were shipped to them stolen right off their front porch. 

Danielle and Louis Coluccio say their home security camera captured a thief casually stealing a large package from the front of their Rosebank home, then returning minutes later with an accomplice to steal more packages.

The boxes contained wedding china, a meat slicer and 3-D glasses to watch movies. 

"I was shocked," said Louis Coluccio. 

"You just feel violated," said Danielle Coluccio. 

"It's scary, living in your neighborhood, knowing somebody has the audacity in broad daylight to come on your porch and do that," she said.

The Coluccios filed a police report and got their wedding registries to replace the items. Now Danielle, a teacher, and Louis, a financial advisor, want the thieves caught. 

"Next time maybe somebody will think twice before they do something like this," said Louis Coluccio.

The man who injured a U.S. Marshal while trying to evade authorities will spend nearly three decades behind bars.

On Friday, 32-year-old Matthew Motsenbocker was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison.

On July 6, 2012, authorities tried to pull over a car on Interstate 805 near Balboa Avenue in Clairemont. The female driver jumped out and ran away.

According to officials, Motsenbocker, who was wanted on burglary and firearms charges, moved to the driver’s seat. That’s when U.S. Marshal Don Allie tried to pull the keys from the ignition. But Motsenbocker took off, dragging Allie 100 yards down the road.

Allie was tossed for the vehicle. He managed to pull out his gun and shoot Motsenbocker in the torso, bringing the chase to a stop.

Allie addressed the court during the sentencing. He said he lost his sense of smell and has daily headaches as a result of his injuries.

“When we initiated the traffic stop, after turning on our lights and sirens, in one of the most cowardly acts I’ve ever seen, he used his girlfriend as bait in an attempt to lure us off,” Allie said.

The defendant also spoke. He said he never intended to hurt anyone.

“It was a reaction,” Motsenbocker said.

“I’ve never hurt anybody in my life, except probably myself and my family through situations like this.”