A hunter mistook his friend for a deer and fatally shot him, authorities said Tuesday. Prosecutors were considering whether to bring charges against the shooter. 

The victim, Charles Bruce, 52, was a veteran volunteer firefighter for the Malverne fire department. He was killed on a weekend hunting trip with other firefighters in Westford, N.Y.

Bruce was heading out of the woods late Saturday afternoon when another hunter in a tree stand about 60 yards away fired a shot that struck Bruce in the chest, said John Muehl, Otsego County district attorney. 

The shooter has not been identified. A Malverne fire department spokesman described him as a former volunteer who was one of Bruce's best friends.

"It's a difficult thing to kill your best friend," Muehl said. "But there is no excuse for shooting someone. I've been hunting all my life, and never once have I seen a man that looked like a deer."

The district attorney now plans to review the case and will consider convening a grand jury that could bring criminal charges against the hunter.

"I know he is heartbroken," Muehl said. "But he violated the first rule of hunting. You don't aim your gun at something unless you have positively identified it as a target."

Black and purple bunting hung on the outside of the Malverne fire house Tuesday as colleagues mourned Bruce, a firefighter of 17 years. 

He was described by department spokesman Dave Gildea as "very active guy" who loved hunting, running and smoking cigars.

The father of two grown children, Bruce was also an electrician and had worked in many of the homes of his fellow firefighters.

"It's just a terrible tragedy," Gildea said. 

Political consultant Laura Fink spoke to NBC 7 San Diego on Election Day, sharing her thoughts on the campaign, the risk she took coming forward as one of the first women to accuse former mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment and the impact she hopes she has on other women's lives.

NBC 7 caught up with Fink at her office in Banker's Hill around 2 p.m. Tuesday as voters were headed to the polls for a mayoral mulligan.

Fink came forward in the midst of the Bob Filner scandal with a detailed account of the harassment and documented proof in the form of an email that described the incident.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat," Fink said of coming forward. "And I think that's largely because I tend to focus on the support I received rather than the detractors who dogged me ... I have to say that I hope it gives a little bit of inspiration to folks who don't think their voice is going to make a difference." 

Fink predicted Councilman David Alvarez and former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher in a "dog fight" for second place. She said there would be no clear winner until very late Tuesday night and whoever won would do so just by "a nose."

About the progressive movement, she said: 

"I do think there was some disappointment, obviously, in the mayor doing what he did. However, we have a second chance and I think there's new energy around that and you see it in the campaigns. We have three front-runners - two of whom will come out of today. And I think folks are re-energized and pragmatic enough to know that we've got to keep going." 

Looking ahead to the probable runoff, she said no matter who receives the first and second slot, the candidates' character will continue to be a focal point of the campaigns.

"By 10 percentage points, 'integrity' has been listed as the number one quality that people are looking for in their next mayor. This is going to define the race now, and it's going to define the race when we have a runoff as I anticipate we will." 

A driver was injured Tuesday night in a high-speed rollover crash in Santee, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

The crash happened around 6:45 p.m. on northbound State Route 125 at Mission Gorge Road, right at the very end of the freeway – a stretch of road known for accidents.

CHP officials said a car occupied by one person came down SR-125 at a high rate of speed and wound up veering off the road, rolling over several times.

The driver became trapped inside the car and had to be extricated by emergency crews using the Jaws of Life. He was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital via Mercy Air with critical injuries, officials said.

No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

Traffic Sgt. Scott Hill with the Santee Sheriff's Station said the vehicle went over a berm at the end of the roadway, flipped and landed on the other side.

Sgt. Hill said it appears the driver went straight through the berm without braking at all as he came through the intersection.

Authorities closed down Mission Gorge Road at SR-125 immediately following the crash. By 9 p.m., CHP officials had issued a SigAlert, and lanes one and two remained closed to traffic.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is now handling the investigation and officials expect to be on scene for several hours gathering evidence.

Sgt. Hill said the driver will be evaluated for DUI, as first-arriving deputies suspected smelling alcohol in and around the vehicle.

Sgt. Hill said that intersection has seen many DUI-related crashes, as drivers don't realize the freeway is coming to an end.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Either City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, City Councilman David Alvarez or former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher will become the next mayor of San Diego.

In Tuesday’s special election, Faulconer held a strong lead throughout the night, nearly 20 points ahead of his competition. This guaranteed him a spot in February’s runoff.

“Tonight, we have shown what we’re capable of, and I can’t wait to hit the ground running tomorrow,” Faulconer told an enthusiastic crowd of supporters late Tuesday night.

The question became, who will face the Republican Faulconer in the runoff? Democrats Alvarez and Fletcher were in a virtual tie for most of the night.

When final results were reported around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Alvarez (25.59%) had inched ahead of Fletcher (24.30%.) There are still about 34,500 mail-in and provisional ballots to be counted, according to the Registrar of Voters website.

Last week’s amazing story of San Francisco’s beloved “Batkid” has generated a new wave of interest in the Make-A-Wish Foundation across other cities, including San Diego.

When San Francisco was turned into Gotham City for 5-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott, the world took notice. Turns out, Batkid’s super powers have reached way beyond the Bay Area.

According to Chris Sichel, president of the Make-A-Wish San Diego Foundation, the impact of the young boy’s inspirational story is also being felt locally.

“People were enamored with [the story]. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Live TV broadcast, tears of joy – it was a wonderful story,” said Sichel.

Sichel said the enormous popularity of Batkid has meant a huge boost for Make-A-Wish.

“The number of inquiries on the website was off the charts. [We’ve gotten] five times as many hits on the website as we normally do,” he said.

Not only did the Make-a-Wish website almost crash, but there were huge spikes in San Diegans contacting the foundation about donating their time as volunteers, as well as an increase in inquiries about making a wish for kids with life-threatening illnesses.

The story of Batkid also had an impact on other kids, including 4-year-old Oliver Ranson of Alpine.

Oliver knows about Batkid and saw him on TV.

Like Batkid, Oliver has been fighting his own battle against a life-threatening illness. Two years ago, he underwent chemotherapy against brain cancer.

At the time, the boy’s wish was for a backyard playground where he could run around and simply be a kid.

Thanks to Make-A-Wish, Oliver’s dream came true.

His parents, Renee and Keith Ranson, consider the playground a real lifesaver for their child.

“The playground gave him strength to fight cancer, and gave him something to look forward to,” said Keith.

So, when the Ranson family saw Batkid last week, they knew exactly what that special wish and day would mean for Miles Scott’s family.

“To turn around and see all those people beside them – it’s kind of beyond words,” said Renee.

The power of people – it can do amazing, uplifting things from San Francisco to Alpine.

And the wish-granting won’t stop there.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation said they grant hundreds of wishes each year in San Diego, but thanks to Batkid and a steady boost in donations, that number could be on the rise.

Learn more about how to donate here.
 

An El Cajon police officer was injured Tuesday after his motorcycle and a vehicle collided, officials confirmed.

The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. on East Main Street near Safari Drive.

According to Officer Matt Conlon of the El Cajon Police Department, a motorcycle officer was conducting routine traffic enforcement in the area when a vehicle allegedly pulled out in front of him.

The officer collided with the driver side of the vehicle.

Conlon said the El Cajon police officer sustained non-life threatening injuries in the crash, including facial lacerations and a possible broken nose. He was taken to a local hospital, but is expected to make a full recovery.

The driver of the vehicle, John Julian, was not injured.

Julian spoke to NBC 7 San Diego at the scene of the accident and described the moment when he saw the officer’s motorcycle heading toward his car.

“I noticed there was a motorcycle policeman headed straight toward me in this inside lane here, and he just kept coming. He just came barreling down. I mean, he hit me full-force,” said Julian.

According to Julian, he was unable to move his vehicle in time to avoid the crash.

“I guess he thought I was in the process moving, but I couldn’t,” he explained.

Once he realized the collision was imminent, Julian said he moved himself toward the center of his vehicle, away from the window, to avoid getting hurt.

He then exited the car and began helping the injured police officer.

“I got a towel from my car for his nose. It looked broken; it was cut on the side and bleeding,” Julian said. “I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt really bad.”

Conlon said the cause of the collision remains under investigation, but it appears to be a “right-of-way issue.” It’s unclear, at this point, who was at fault.

By 2 p.m., investigators were clearing the scene. Julian was not cited, and police said he likely will not be cited in connection with the accident.

This is the second officer-involved crash in as many days involving both a vehicle and motorcycle.

On Monday night, a motorcyclist was killed after getting into an accident with a San Diego police car at the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Mt. Everest Boulevard in Clairemont. The motorcyclist was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Since his departure from the White House in 2008, George W. Bush has made few public appearances, but decided to appear on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno Tuesday night.

"Only cause of you," the 43rd president said to Leno. "You're about to head out to pasture; just wanted to see what you look like before you got to the gate."

In a mostly tongue-in-cheek interview, Leno and Bush quipped about everything from how Bush dealt with the stress of being president to his newfound love of painting.

But perhaps the largest revelation came at the very beginning of Bush's talk with Leno, after the late-night host asked the 43rd president how he coped with making tough decisions as president.

"Well, you have to be believe in what you're doing" the former president said. "I’m also very comfortable with the fact that it’s going to take a while for history to judge whether the decisions I made are consequential or not. And therefore I’m not too worried about it," he said.

When Leno asked Bush about his decision to stay out of the limelight after eight years in the White House and not offer his take on current policies, Bush had a succinct and straightforward answer.

"I don't think it's good for the country to have a former president criticize his successor," he said.

"I really don’t miss the spotlight," Bush said. "I think eight years in the spotlight is enough."

He and former First Lady are now comfortably living in Dallas, Texas, where they spend most of their time working on pet projects like their global health initiative they've started at Southern Methodist University, focused on working on cancer in Africa.

And the 43rd president has taken on a new passion.

"You may not think I'm a painter, but I'm a painter," Bush said as he and Leno went through some of the former president's paintings – a portrait of his longtime pal, Barney and cat, Bob.

But the real surprise of the night came next.

"I do take painting seriously and it's changed my life," Bush said as he presented Leno with his very own portrait painting.

At 67, the former president looked upbeat as he appeared with his wife, Laura Bush. Leno asked the couple how they dealt with Bush's recent health scare.

"It was scary. It was very scary," said Laura Bush. But the former president responded, "I wasn't that scared." Leno then asked "You had Obamacare?," which brought laughs from everyone.
 

San Diego women are speaking out about a man who they said preys on the vulnerabilities of single mothers and takes their money.

Four women spoke to NBC 7 about 35-year-old Art Stanley Howe. They claimed he meets women online on websites like Craigslist, Facebook and Plenty of Fish and gets them to bed quickly.

Not long after, they said, Howe convinces them to fund his business. When they don't get their money back and prepare to go to court or authorities, they claimed he threatens to release revealing photos of them online and, at times, to their children.

One woman, who did not want to be identified, said she dated Art Howe for more than a year. She tells NBC 7 he owes here between $16,000 and $20,000.

"When he was coming to meet me for the very first time, he asked 'Do you have a credit card?'" she said.

The woman showed NBC 7 several texts she said were between them. One of them showed her being asked to get a cash-call loan. It read, "Go big. Trust me. I have a plan and the plan involves your credit getting as high as can go."

That woman, who said she has talked to at least 15 other possible victims, told NBC 7 it appearedHowe targets single women who have children.

Debra Cangiamilla said Howe owes her money as well. She met him on Myspace in 2009 and lent him $1,048. She showed NBC 7 a contract that appears to be signed by both Cangiamilla and Howe.

A third woman who did not want to be identified sent NBC 7 a loan agreement that she said Howe broke. It showed she loaned him $41,000, which was supposed to be paid back by March 2013.

This woman went to the San Diego Police Department last October and filed an incident report. NBC 7 confirmed her case is under review.

On the same day NBC 7 reached out to Art Howe's lawyer, that woman said she received a threatening text from an unidentified 682 number.

It read, "We have a lot of pictures and info to share also. You have a lot to loose (sp) doing the news."

The women were told by police these cases are difficult unless there is evidence showing Art Howe never intended to pay them back.

Police said you should definitely file a report if the person threatens you.

This year, Governor Jerry Brown passed a bill banning "revenge porn." The law makes it a misdemeanor to post nude photos of someone else online without their permission, and the person posting the photos or videos must have done so with the intent of causing emotional distress or humiliation. A conviction could result in six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

A fourth woman who did not date Howe tells NBC 7 he and his friends sexually assaulted her.

"When Art was following me, I thought he was just going to tell me this is the bathroom," she said,  "but instead he followed me in there."

She added, "He manipulated me into a situation that was really dangerous, and I felt taken at that time."

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department confirmed a sexual assault investigation is underway, but no charges have been filed.

NBC 7 tried calling Art Howe and was able to speak to him briefly on the phone. NBC 7 ultimately received this e-mailed response:

"Due to the nature of our brief conversation on the phone and due to you telling me that there is an investigation and law enforcement involved, my lawyer has advised me to make no comments or statements and to not be contacted directly as you can contact him."

NBC 7 tried contacting Howe's lawyer multiple times and was told he had no comment.

Howe has faced similar accusations in the past.

NBC 7 found court records showing in 1998 he was convicted of domestic violence.

In 2006, he pleaded guilty to grand theft that involved stealing $400 or more from a San Diego guitar store.

In 2009, Howe was the defendant in a civil harassment case in which the judge granted the plaintiff a temporary restraining order based on allegations he had "Post[ed] hurtful lies on her Myspace page" and sent "text messages to her children."

A permanent restraining order was never granted, and the case was dismissed when both parties did not show up to the next hearing.

Sheriff's investigators called these kinds of allegations possible "Lonely Heart Scams." They said if you meet someone and there is a sudden crisis in the person's life where he/she needs money, that may be a red flag. They advise you to research the person online.

If you have more information on this story or other stories, email candice.nguyen@nbcuni.com or nbcsandiegodesk@nbcuni.com.

The Bay Area on Tuesday got a healthy dose of rain Tuesday, bringing much-needed moisture to the region for the first time in two months.

The wet weather is expected to continue through Thursday and parts of the Bay Area should see a quarter inch to a half inch of rain over the next few days. The rain ends a record dry spell - the lowest rainfall count in 164 years - for the City of San Francisco.

Some Bay Area residents welcomed the change in weather with open arms.

"I did come prepared and I'm happy to see the rain because we really need the rain," said Arlene Rosen of Oakland.

The first storm of the season means extra slick conditions on Bay Area roads with oils that have accumulated all summer surfacing to the top.

California Highway Patrol Officer Daniel Hill warns drivers they may experience their wheels spinning in location where they normally do not.

"It's simply because the roadway is more slick," Hill said.

The change in weather has kept tow truck drivers like Kenneth Rieck busy.

"It's really crazy," he said. "It's causing problems and making my boss a lot of money."

For more on the showers and Bay Area forecast, visit our weather page.

A UCLA football player is suspended from the team indefinitely after being arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, the university said Tuesday.

Torian White was arrested early Sunday at an apartment complex on Glenrock Avenue near the Westwood campus, the school said in a statement.

The case was sent to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Monday, but was returned to police Tuesday. The DA's office has asked police for further investigation, saying there is not yet enough evidence to charge the student athlete.

An offensive lineman, White has not played for the Bruins since injuring his right leg during a game at Utah on Oct. 3.

He has been a student at UCLA since fall 2011. He became a starter last year.

"We are aware of the situation involving Torian White, and we take these accusations very seriously," UCLA football coach Jim Mora said in a statement. "Torian has been suspended from the team indefinitely while the legal process and student discipline process run their course. Due to the ongoing police investigation, we are unable to discuss this matter further at this time."

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One of the men who was originally charged with 1998 killing of Escondido girl took the stand in the retrial of Richard Tuite.

Prosecutors said Tuite stabbed 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe to death 15 years ago in the bedroom of her Escondido home.

But the defense's theory is that the real killers were Stephanie's brother, Michael, and his two friends: Joshua Treadway and Aaron Hauser.

The three teenagers confessed to the murder and were charged, but those charges were later dropped after a judge ruled their confessions were coerced.

When asked Monday why he couldn't recall exactly what happened the day he confessed, Treadway said he's been emotionally scarred by the case.

"The events were extremely painful for me and have been haunting me for the last 15 years and not at any time was I really able to get over it," Treadway testified.

When asked whether he recalled the day investigators found two knives under his bed, Treadway said he did not remember that day explaining, "that was 15 years ago."

On Thursday Tuite's attorney painted Michael Crowe as the real killer in the case, arguing that he was a hateful teenager who often complained to friends about his popular little sister.

In an exclusive interview with NBC 7 Thursday, Michael Crowe called the defense theory “an argument that comes out of the inability to accept reality.”

Richard Tuite was convicted of manslaughter in 2004 after Stephanie's blood was found on his clothes.

Eight years later, a federal appeals court voided the conviction and ordered a retrial.  

More NBC 7 Coverage:

• Michael Crowe Speaks Before Testifying
• Tuite's Defense Claims Stephanie Crowe Killed by 2 People
• Teen Settles in Crowe Case Lawsuit
• Michael Crowe, Joshua Treadway Declared Factually Innocent in Stephanie Crowe Murder
• Deputy Sickened by Michael Crowe's Interrogation
• Stephanie Crowe's Accused Killer Gets Trial

A teenager died at the busiest border crossing in the world after drinking an amber-colored liquid in front of federal agents. 

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office has identified him at 16-year-old Cruz Marcelino Velazquez Acevedo of Tijuana.

Acevedo walked into the U.S. from Mexico Monday evening using the pedestrian entrance at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

According to the ME, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stopped the teen because of a discrepancy on his Visa.

At a secondary inspection point, officers asked him about the two containers he was carrying. Acevedo said the amber-colored liquid was juice and voluntarily took a sip, officials said.

Agents said one of their drug-sniffing dogs signaled, so they took the teenager into custody.

According to the ME's report, Acevdeo then became agitated and started screaming. San Diego police investigators said he admitted to agents that the liquid was a "chemical."

Agents called paramedics, who had to sedate the teen before transporting him to the Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the ME.

The ME did not release a cause of death.

Agents said they ran tests on the liquid that tested positive for liquid methamphetamine.

When asked about the potency of methamphetamine in a liquid form, a member of the UCSD Poison Control center said the substance can show life-threatening side effects within minutes because it hits the stomach quickly.

SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings said toxicology test results are needed before investigators can know if the liquid caused the teenager’s death.

San Diego police detectives investigate all cases and incidents where an individual dies while in law enforcement custody.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact San Diego police homicide detectives at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a trolley in National City Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed.

The deadly incident happened around 3:40 p.m. at Civic Center Drive and Wilson Avenue, near the 8th Street Trolley Station.

According to authorities, the pedestrian -- a man in his 20s -- ran out onto the tracks in front of a moving, oncoming trolley and was fatally struck. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) immediately halted trolley traffic in the area.

Investigators blocked off the scene and began processing the area for evidence. As of 4 p.m., passengers were being removed from the trolley involved in the collision. No other injuries were reported.

MTS officials said a bus bridge had been activated to transport trolley passengers between the 8th and E Street stations. As of 4:20 p.m., MTS officials said trolley services on the Blue Line are interrupted in both directions and delays are expected through at least the next hour.

MTS officials said the trolley was traveling at normal speed, around 35 mph, at the time of the collision. The driver has been on the job for one year and has had no other such accidents.

An MTS spokesman said this is the third fatality on the trolley tracks this year.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing. The victim’s name has not yet been released.

An ambulance company based in El Cajon said it will continue to operate despite a federal raid on its headquarters Tuesday.

Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services served a search warrant at the headquarters of Balboa Ambulance, Inc around 6:30 a.m.

Video shot by a news helicopter showed agents on the property collecting items from the business at 1138 Broadway in El Cajon.

FBI spokesperson Darrell Foxworth said the raid is part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

An attorney for Balboa Ambulance said they have not been told the reason for the raid.

“The reason for the investigation has not been disclosed and we do not know the reason for the investigation,” said Joseph LaMagna. “We have no reason to believe that this is related to any prior investigation on immigration issues at Balboa.”

Balboa Ambulance serves all of Southern California including San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The company's website said it provides critical care, wheelchair and long distance transport to more than 100 skilled nursing facilities and acute care hospitals.

Court documents show the business has been sued 75 times in civil court here in San Diego County from 1992 – 2011.

The company under owner John Olsen has an annual revenue of $2.5 to $5 million and employs a staff of approximately 50 to 99.

It has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since August 31, 2013.

Refresh this page for updates.

With the stroke of the governor's pen, Illinois on Wednesday became the 16th state in the nation to allow same sex couples to marry.

Hundreds packed the University of Illinois at Chicago Forum to witness Gov. Pat Quinn sign the legislation -- SB10 -- on the desk Abraham Lincoln used to write his first inaugural address.

“Love never fails, and I’m going to sign this bill," Quinn said.

"I am a proud Illinoisan today," Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon said Wednesday, kicking off a line of speakers celebrating the signing. "Thanks to everyone in the state of Illinois for making this a land we can all be proud of. It's time to stop planning rallies and start planning weddings."

Quinn took that sentiment a step further, urging other states to follow suit with marriage equality legislation.

"We understand in our state that part of our unfinished business is to help other states in the United States achieve marriage equality," Quinn said. "We want to have a new birth of freedom across America, and love is not relegated to second-class citizen status."

The Illinois Senate on Nov. 5 followed a long-awaited House vote to approve gay marriage in the state. The bill passed the House 61-54, obtaining the 60 votes needed for passage. The Senate passed it an hour later.

"With the governor's signature, Illinois goes on record," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "There is no straight or gay marriage. From now on there is only marriage in Illinois."

Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka name-dropped GOP members of the House who voted for the bill this month, calling them "folks who were very brave in the Republican party who were there for you."

"What a day for celebration!" Sen. Heather Steans said. "Today Illinois makes history."

• SB10 Roundup: 5 Best Reads on Illinois Same Sex Marriage

Bill sponsor Rep. Greg Harris received an especially thunderous round of applause and a standing ovation. He thanked a long list of supporters, from politicians and families to church leaders and businesses that helped make the legislation possible.

"It has been a long and painful wait for many people," Attorney General Lisa Madigan said. "At its heart marriage equality is about the fundamentals of American principles of fairness and freedom, and it is about families."

Just 14 states and the District of Columbia allowed for same sex marriage when both houses of the Illinois General Assembly approved the measure. Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed legislation just last week, making that state number 15.

Illinois' law takes effect June 1, 2014, and is expected to increase business and tourism spending in the state. A 2013 study by UCLA's The Williams Institute said that allowing same-sex couples to marry in Illinois would generate up to $103 million in new spending in the first three years. The Illinois Office of Tourism has already beefed up its website to promote gay-friendly spots in Illinois.

Cook County Clerk David Orr said his offices will be open on June 1, a Sunday, so gay couples can get their marriage licenses. In central Illinois, Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten said his office will be open, and in southwestern Illinois, Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza said the office will open to issue marriage licenses June 2.

Quinn signed civil union legislation into law in 2011. Since then, the governor's office said more than 6,000 Illinois couples have joined in a civil union. The bulk of them have been in Cook County.

A new study suggests teens in military families whose relatives have been deployed to war zones are more likely to report depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts.

University of Southern California researchers focused their research on seventh, ninth and eleventh graders, and found that those with military connections experience more sadness or hopelessness.

Using data from the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey, they looked at how often teenagers reported feeling sad or hopeless.

Of the respondents, more than 13 percent were children of military parents. Those students were more likely to report symptoms of depression than those whose parents were not deployed in the U.S. military.

Researchers say the findings show there needs to be improved depression screening for military kids, especially during wartime.

Diane Disney Miller, a Bay Area winemaker and the daughter who inspired her dad, Walt, to create the Happiest Place on Earth, died Tuesday in Napa, Calif., at age 79.

Walt Disney had said that came up with the idea for Disneyland after watching daughters, Diane Sharon, ride the merry-go-round at Los Angeles' Griffith Park.

Now, families who flock to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. and Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla., can thank those two girls for that simple ride.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Diane Disney Miller and our thoughts are with her family during his difficult time," The Walt Disney Company said in a statement. "As the beloved daughter of Walt Disney and one of his inspirations for creating Disneyland, she holds a special place in the history of The Walt Disney Company and in the hearts of fans everywhere. She will be remembered for her grace and generosity and tireless work to preserve her father's legacy, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her."

Miller succumbed to injuries suffered in a fall a few months ago in Napa, where she had a home, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. She had lived in the Bay Area since the mid-1980s, according to the Chronicle, and supported many charities and community functions.

As the only surviving child of Walt and Lillian Disney,  Miller was the president of the Walt Disney Family Foundation and co-founder, with her son, Walter Elias Disney Miller, of the Walt Disney Family Museum. It opened in 2009 on the Main Post of the Presidio of San Francisco, not far from her residence on Russian Hill. Last year more than 100,000 people visited the museum, which is on track to hit 150,000 in 2013.

Miller was a generous philanthropist whose support of Frank Gehry as the architect for the Walt Disney Concert Hall is widely credited with allowing that building's construction to go forward when Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan questioned Gehry's firm's abilities.

When Miller was born in 1933, the Times' headline read: "Mickey Mouse has a daughter." Her death came one day after the 85th anniversary of the introduction of Mickey Mouse, who made his debut in the 1928 short film "Steamboat Willie," according to Today.com.

Miller was Disney's last surviving child. Sharon died in 1993; Walt Disney died in 1966, and his wife Lillian in 1997.She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Ron E. Miller, who served as president and briefly as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, and their seven children.
 

New reports of "knockout" incidents involving teens physically assaulting strangers have surfaced and it's prompting community leaders to call for an end to the violence.

Teens from cities in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia have been caught on camera approaching strangers on the street and knocking them to the ground with one powerful punch to the face or head in a game called "Knockout." Reports of the "game" have also surfaced in Massachusetts, Illinois and Missouri.

A D.C. woman in the Columbia Heights area was approached by a group of eight males on bikes last Thursday when one reached out, punched her in the back of the head and rode away, NBC's News4 reported.

A 78-year-old woman fell victim 10 days ago in Brooklyn, making her ninth reported "Knockout" victim in New York. Authorities are investigating the attacks as hate crimes, NBC 4 New York reported. Some of the attacks have targeted members of the Jewish community.

The alarming trend gained national attention in May after a 51-year-old man died in Syracuse, N.Y., in the hands of a group of teenagers who knocked him out and stomped on him, according to The Post-Standard's news site Syracuse.com. In the same month, a 20-year-old man was sentenced to 55 years in prison after he struck and killed a man in St. Louis back in 2011, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

NBC10 in Philadelphia last week reported on a similar Internet trend called #SmackCam, which uses the Vine smartphone app to capture people being unexpectedly slapped in the face. What started out as a playful game spawned by boredom turned awry when more violent depictions of the game started popping up on social media site. A compilation video on YouTube has amassed 1.7 million views since it was posted in July.

People with Type T personalities, which characterizes risk-takers and thrill-seekers, are motivated to commit violent acts, like smacking strangers in public, according to Professor of Educational Pyschology Frank Farley.

"Many of the perpetrators may be these T types and one of their things is pushing the envelope," Farley told NBC Philadelphia. "It’s risky to go up and slap someone in public.”

Amtrak has launched an investigation to find out how a New York-bound train took a wrong turn onto mass transit lines and wound up in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

• WATCH: Girl, Father Clipped by SEPTA Train

Keystone train 664, carrying 130 passengers, left Philadelphia's 30th Street Station around 11:45 a.m. last Thursday and somehow navigated off of Amtrak-operated rails, Amtrak officials confirmed. The train operators apparently missed a signal.

The train traveled about four miles west along tracks used by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for its regional rail system.

The lost train eventually followed tracks for SEPTA's Cynwyd line and stopped at the authority's station in Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pa., officials said.

SEPTA and Amtrak both responded to the scene and the passengers were taken off of the wayward train.

"They took us the wrong way out of Philly now we are stuck with no power and no way to get back to Philly," Bridget Cook tweeted to the Amtrak Twitter account. She then posted the photo above.

SEPTA staff guided the train back to Philadelphia, where passengers were offered a ride on another train to New York.

"Everyone was very fortunate that at that time of the day there were no SEPTA trains on that track," said SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams. "At no time were any of our riders in danger."

The Cynwyd line is a single 6.1 mile track that runs from SEPTA's Suburban Station in Center City Philadelphia to Bala Cynwyd, where it ends. It has the lowest ridership among the transit authorities 13 regional rail lines -- with a daily average ridership of 622 people.

Williams says the next train heading towards Bala Cynwyd was set to depart Center City at 12:19 p.m. that day.

"An investigation was launched and the crew has been held out of work until they can be fully debriefed and additional training can be conducted," said Amtrak spokesman Craig Schultz.

When the Amtrak train switched onto SEPTA's line, Williams says the authority's control center was alerted.

The train's operators would have also been told that the track was clear through an automatic signaling system. SEPTA did not authorize the train to come onto their tracks, Williams says.

Dr. Allan Zarembrski, Professor and Director of Railroad Engineering and Safety Program at the University of Delaware, called the incident "unusual."

He says, while only limited information has been released about the mishap, it could have been the Amtrak dispatchers that led the train astray.

“It may have been the case where a dispatcher may have switched the train onto the wrong track," he said.

He says based on the limited information about the mishap, he hasn't seen anything to suggest safety was compromised -- adding that SEPTA's signal system appears to have done its job.

"That’s what the signal system is designed for, that if a train is occupying the track, it notifies the dispatcher and other train not to proceed," he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board says they are not looking into the incident because they only investigate accidents.

NBC10 has also reached out for comment from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Also on NBC10.com:

• A Look at Amtrak's Long-Distance Cars
• Amtrak Breaks a Record
• Art Will Transport Commuters on Space Journey

If you're in the habit of shopping for the holidays early and want to get a head start this year on Thanksgiving Day, don't bother stopping at Nordstrom. It'll be closed.

The leading fashion retailer announced its doors will close Thursday, Nov. 28.

Affecting more than 100 stores in 35 states, the closure is part of a Nordstrom full-line and Nordstrom Rack tradition.

“This is how we’ve approached the holidays as long as anyone here can remember,” Nordstrom spokesman Colin Johnson said.

Photos: Outrageous Black Friday Behavior

Closing for the holiday doesn't sit well with most retailers, which are already losing six shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year as part of a calendar phenomenon that occurs about every seven years.

Breaking a 155-year-old tradition, Macy’s announced in mid-October that it would open on Thanksgiving Day at 8 p.m. Other retailers, such as JCPenney and Toys“R”Us, are betting on the holiday to increase sales by remaining open and expanding their operating hours.

Flyers were posted in Nordstrom stores announcing the closure with big lettering that read, “HAPPY THANKSGIVING.”

“We won't be decking our halls until Friday, November 29. Why? We just like the idea of celebrating one holiday at a time," the sign read.

Some people don't like the idea that a retail store would remain open, forcing its employees to work on a holdiay.

"We've received positive feedback in the past," Johnson said.

Doors are set to re-open in time for Black Friday on Nov. 29 and in full holiday spirit.

“The Friday after Thanksgiving is when we deliver our holiday trim,” Johnson said. “It makes it more fun and exciting.”

For those shoppers who can’t wait till Black Friday, Nordstrom's online site won’t be affected.

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