The family of missing CIA contractor Robert Levinson said they have met with the FBI in their continued effort to press the U.S. government to find him.

Levinson disappeared in Iran in 2007 during a secret intelligence mission which an Associated Press investigation made public last week. The report revealed Levinson was investigating the Iranian government during the trip instead of being on private business, as the government had said he was.

The statement from the Levinson family, which was sent to NBC News, said they met with FBI Director James Comey Friday in Washington, D.C. to continue urging the government to "fulfill its moral obligation to Rovert Levinson."

• Sen. Bill Nelson Offers to Travel to Iran to Help Find Robert Levinson

"We thank Director Comey for his personal commitment to do everything in his power to bring Bob home," the statement read. "We also have requested new meetings with Secretary of State Kerry and President Obama. We are waiting to hear from them."

The government has not received "proof of life" in years, and the last time his family received photos or video of him was in late 2010 and early 2011. It is unknown who is holding him.

More information about Thursday’s fatal casino bus tour crash is coming in. We now know more about the 21 people who were injured, as well as the woman who died in the crash near Fallbrook.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner identified the woman who died as 64-year old Tayde Murguia. One person who was injured is a relative of the woman who died in the crash.

Thirteen people were brought to Palomar Medical Center, but only three remain as of Friday afternoon. The two other people still at the hospital are related to each other but not Murguia.

Hospital officials say this was a serious accident with injuries ranging from broken bones to internal injuries. They also said they believe three people who are hospitalized will probably be released sometime this evening.

The bus crashed on the southbound I-15 near State Road 76. It overturned on the highway, snarling traffic well into Thursday evening.

Of the 21 people injured, six people were seriously hurt, 14 suffered minor injuries, and one person refused treatment. The injured passengers were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside and Fallbrook Hospital, according to CHP.

"My neck and head hurt, but nothing is broken," said passenger Elda Rodriguez as she waited in the emergency room at Palomar.

Is it time for the city of San Diego's private skyboxes at Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park to be leased out?

It's a political issue that's been simmering, and occasionally rising to a boil, for more than 15 years.

A dustup in the mayor's race this week stirred echoes from two County Grand Jury "watchdog" investigations into skybox tickets that go to city officials.

Jury members said the perk had gotten out of hand.

They've called for sweeping reforms -- and revoking Councilmembers' credentials.

"City officials shouldn't be playing Santa Claus with public assets, with city assets,” says James Kelly, Jr., foreman of the 1997-98 grand jury. “If they want to give to charities, they should give out of their own pockets. Or encourage other private citizens to do that."

In an interview with NBC 7, Kelly said he has no quarrel with what he called “a reasonable number of perquisites” for public servants.

“But there was some evidence that these were really being abused,” Kelly added. “They weren't following their own policy."

The city reserves 55 skybox seats at Qualcomm Stadium for the mayor, Councilmembers, and city attorney and their guests.

Those guests, under policies adopted when the stadium opened in 1967, were meant to be people who could advance business development, tourism and sports in San Diego.

But eventually friends, relatives and political backers crowded the suite -- often unaccompanied by their hosts, especially during seasons when the Chargers and Padres were struggling.

"They were provided very lavish buffets, alcoholic beverages,” Kelly recalls.

Grand jury investigations in 1998 and 2007 -- three years after Petco Park opened with 26 city skybox seats -- prompted reforms such as charging for refreshments, banning booze, and having guests sign in and list their affiliations.

These days, the officials’ tickets largely have become giveaways, going mainly to charitable groups, military and law enforcement guests.

But there's a growing school of thought – advanced early on by then-mayor Susan Golding -- that the skyboxes should be put on the market so as to avoid ethical questions about politicians dispensing favors, even to worthy and non-controversial recipients.

"It's sort of a Catch-22,” said Chargers fan Jeff Simmons, on a noon-hour outing to the team’s souvenir shop at Qualcomm Stadium  “Part of it's good – and (part is) just politics. Politics is always bad."

Then there’s the argument of raising money – hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, potentially -- for a city that's been desperate for cash to properly bankroll public safety, neighborhood services and infrastructure upgrades.

Said Mike Stewart, Jr., also interviewed at the Chargers’ gear outlet at the stadium: "If there's an opportunity to get revenue from these seats, then that's what the city should do. I mean, there's a lot of private industry that has money that are willing to purchase those seats, I'm sure."

But the most recent grand jury to tackle the issue recommended keeping skybox seats for the mayor and stadium manager, although not for other officials.

Jurors led by 2006-07 foreman David Higgins emphasized that guests should be there to benefit San Diego's interests.

"I think the lesson learned -- or the lesson reminded of -- is that we should always, always, always have the taxpayers' best interest in mind,” Higgins told NBC 7, “and spend their money as if we're spending our own."

The issue was revived Wednesday when Kevin Faulconer accused his City Council colleague and rival for mayor, David Alvarez, of excessive and ethically dubious gifting of skybox tickets.

Alvarez responded by calling Faulconer “the Grinch,” noting that Faulconer has donated tickets to police officers in the past, and been given tickets to other events by various business interests.

An annual Skid Row toy giveaway event is facing a severe shortage this year: not enough children are showing up to claim them.

The Fred Jordan Missions says it gave away about 10,000 toys at their Dec. 8 event, and it was left with about 30,000 new toys to give.

Last year, the mission faced the opposite problem: too many kids showed up and left empty-handed.

The mission is inviting children and their families to show up to a second event at 10 a.m. Saturday, where organizers say each youngster will receive a bag containing more than three toys.

"We just want to make sure these toys get to needy children," said mission spokeswoman Suzanna Tashiro Choi.

Tashiro Choi says they'll be giving away skateboards, scooters, basketballs, dolls, stuffed animals, video games and more.

The event, which has been held for 70 years, will be held at 445 Towne Avenue in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles. Another event will be held on Christmas Eve.

Thousands of people are expected. Tashiro Choi recommends arriving early.

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A judge has ordered an Oakland hospital to keep a 13-year-old girl who was declared brain dead after her tonsil surgery on life support.

The family of Jahi McMath and Oakland Children's Hospital agreed at a hearing Friday to get together and choose an independent neurologist to further examine the girl and determine her condition.

Both sides will be back in court Monday, at which point the judge says he will appoint an independent doctor to examine Jahi.

The McMath family has been granted a temporary restraining order that prevents the hospital from taking Jahi off a ventilator while another opinion regarding her condition is sought. The hospital says it will comply with the judge’s ruling.

The family says doctors at the children's hospital wanted to disconnect life support after Jahi was declared brain dead on Dec. 12. The family says she kept bleeding profusely after the surgery three days earlier, then went into cardiac arrest.

As part of Friday’s ruling, in addition to the ventilator, the 8th grader will continue to receive the intravenous fluids she has been getting.

For the first time after the court hearing, a lawyer for Children’s Hospital spoke out, explaining a bit more of the hospital's position.

Doug Straus said this case is not about a “routine” tonsillectomy. He said the surgery was complicated from the beginning, as three procedures were being done simultaneously. The three surgeries, according to court documents, were: an adenotonsillectomy; a uvulopalatopharyngloplasty, or UPPP, which is tissue removal in the throat; and submucous resection of bilateral inferior turbinates, which is nasal obstruction. The family has previously said the surgery was to help fix Jahi's sleep apnea.

“A young lady has died. No one takes that in a callous or uncaring manner,” Straus told Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo, “but she is dead.”

When brain death happens, Straus said, it is the hospital’s right to take the patient off life support.

DOWNLOAD: Court Order Authorizing Temporary Restraining Order
DOWNLOAD: Official Response from Children’s Hospital Oakland

The battle to keep the teen on life support  has been escalating in the media since the weekend. And it reached a new height in court on Friday, with the girl's family asking a judge to keep her on life support at least until after Christmas.

“This child is warm. She is soft to the touch. If you rub her foot, her foot curls in. The mother has yelled in her ear, and the daughter has lifted up her arms,” said Chris Dolan, the family’s attorney.

In court papers on Friday filed in probate court in Berkeley, Dolan, on behalf of the family, asked the judge to release the girl's medical records and give her a feeding tube. Dolan also asked the court to give the family 48-hour notice should doctors decide to take her off of life support.

The civil paperwork also shed a bit of light on the way Jahi's mother and relatives have felt treated during this ordeal that both sides would agree is tragic.

While some of the doctors and nurses have been "very compassionate," the temporary restraining order request says that other staff members at the hospital have treated the family "quite coldly." Family said they were told in a blunt manner that "if the ventilator is removed, Jahi will die within a minute or two."

MORE: "Urgent" Request to Keep 8th Grader Jahi McMath on Life Support After Tonsillectomy

Specifically, Jahi's mother, Latasha "Nailah" Winkfield, singled out Dr. David Durand, chief of pediatrics, in her court request seeking a temporary restraining order against the hospital. In Winkfield's telling of it,  Durand said he would not authorize a feeding tube because Jahi is "dead, dead, dead." 

"He was condescending and almost angry, as if I were stupid," she wrote. "I am not stupid. I know my daughter, and she is still here."

For its part, Children's Hospital is limited in what doctors can say regarding the escalating battle because of state and federal privacy laws.

Late Thursday, Durand released a statement that read, in part: "We want the public to know that the family has not permitted us to discuss the medical situation. We are unable -- without the family’s permission -- to talk about the medical procedure, background or any of the details that are a part of this tragedy. Details that would provide transparency, openness and provide answers to the public about this situation."

His statement further added that he would love to be able to correct "misperceptions" but hasn't been able to.

Dolan said Jahi's mother doesn't want to give such authorization because she doesn't want the hospital talking about Jahi's condition to the media before she is told anything.

A few other details were revealed in the temporary restraining order request.

Originally, the family was told that Jahi's tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy would be an "in and out procedure."

Sometime after the seemingly uneventful Dec. 9 surgery, Jahi was taken to the ICU and Winkfield said she was told the staff had to fix her ICU. About 45 minutes later, Jahi was brought back to her room and was sitting in bed, bleeding from her mouth.

"It was normal," Winkfield said the nursing staff told her.

Winkfield then said she asked for a doctor. Instead, she said she was given a bigger container for Jahi to bleed into, and later, a suction device to suction out the "increasing volume of blood," the court request states.

Jahi's grandmother, Sandra Chatman, who is a nurse elsewhere, made "multiple" requests for a doctor. But Jahi ended up suffering from a heart attack "and fell into a comatose state," the papers state.

Though she was declared "brain dead," her heart beats and her kidneys function, the church-going family states, and "she is not gone from her body."

Despite two EEG tests earlier this week that proved negative, Jahi's family believes the once-bubbly girl can still recover. They believe in miracles.

In an impassioned written plea to the court, Winkfield wrote: "She is alive. I believe in God and that He can heal all. God created Jahi. He can save her. Help me, please." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Police late Friday are investigating a pair of mall shootings in two northern California cities.

In San Leandro, officers responded to the Bayfair Mall on 15555 E. 14th St. just before 4:30 p.m. after receiving several calls from witnesses reporting a shooting.

When police arrived, they found a 24-year-old man in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was transported to a hospital and his wound did not appear to be life threatening, police said.

Detectives continue to investigate the shooting, which they said was sparked by an argument between the shooter and the victim.

There were no evacuations or shelters-in-place ordered during the police response and investigation.

Police describe the shooter as an African American man, who fled the scene in a white, compact vehicle.

While officers were investigating the Bayfair Mall shooting, police in Tracy -- about 40 miles east of San Leandro -- also responded to a separate mall shooting.

A SWAT team and police swarmed the West Valley Mall on Naglee Road after a call came in reporting a shooting at 4:42 p.m., according to NBC affiliate KCRA.

When police arrived, officers discovered the eastern mall entrance had been struck with an unknown number of small caliber rounds.

Police said the face of the building, its glass facade and one glass entrance door were struck, with the door shattering.

The shooter was last seen by witnesses leaving the eastern parking lot of the mall, possibly on foot.

West Valley Mall was never closed or evacuated during the investigation, police said.

No injuries were reported in the shooting.

Authorities busted a theft ring involving nine men accused of stealing dozens of motorcycles for resale, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

Read: 1 Dead, 2 Wounded in Reseda Shooting

Three men were charged with one count each of unlawful vehicle identification activity, chop shop operation and receiving stolen property.

Read: Widow's "Closure" Comes 6 Decades After Korean War Veteran's Death

Six others face 31 counts of receiving stolen property.

The complaint includes an allegation that the crimes involve the taking of more than $150,000.

The group would scout locations to steal motorcycles and then allegedly change the vehicle identification numbers of the stolen motorcycles for resale.

Four men arrested for allegedly carjacking a young New Jersey couple outside an upscale mall and killing the 30-year-old husband in front of his wife were targeting their Range Rover, prosecutors said Saturday.

Prosecutors said the suspects, ranging in age from 29 to 33, were taken into custody Friday and overnight into Saturday. Three were found in Newark and one had fled to eastern Pennsylvania, where he was found in a hotel, they said.

Dustin Friedland was shot in the head Sunday night in front of his wife as the couple was getting into their Range Rover at The Mall at Short Hills after a day of shopping. His wife was not injured.

"It was the car, not the person, that appears to be the target of this crime," said Carolyn Murray, acting Essex County prosecutor.

Officials identified the suspects as Hanif Thompson, Karif Ford, Basim Henry and Kevin Roberts.

Prosecutors said they arrived at the mall in a suburban, and then after the carjacking two of them left in that car and the other two left in the Range Rover. It was found in Newark the next day.

Murray said a combination of witness statements, technology and forensics led them to the suspects, but did not elaborate.

"It was not one type of evidence but a number of things," she said.

The gun used to kill Friedland has not been recovered.

Bail for each of the suspects is set at $2 million, and all four are charged with murder, felony murder, carjacking, conspiracy, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose.

It was not clear if the suspects had attorneys.

Middle school student Dominic Rivera didn't want anything for Christmas this year other than to spend some time with his father, who has been serving in Afghanistan for the last seven months.

The sixth grader's holiday wish came true Friday during an afternoon rally at Central Middle School in Tinley Park. Students had been gathered in the gymnasium for what they thought was the school's annual winter games rally.

There was singing. There were gifts from Santa. And then there was dad.

"It's a little shocking," the boy, at a loss for words and holding back tears, said after the reunion in front of his classmates. His younger brother and mom were there too.

Sgt. John Rivera just returned to the United States on Monday and has spent the last few days in Arizona.

"I just couldn't wait to come see these two. It's been seven months," he said. "It's great. That's what the holidays are all about -- spending time with loved ones. So being home in time for that is special."

The idea for the reunion came from Rivera's wife, but it took off once she shared it with Central Middle School's principal.

"My brother is deployed overseas, so when we talked we were both exchanging tears over our phone call to do this to make it special for them," said Randy Fortin.

The happy reunion will be short-lived. Sgt. Rivera will be redeployed in the new year to Arizona.

For now, the family plans to make the best of the holiday time they have together. Rivera missed last Christmas because he was serving in Korea.

"I'm happy he's home and safe," said Janet Rivera. "It's been very, very hard. Anybody ... that knows me knows that can't keep a secret for anything. ... It was hard to keep it off of any social media and it's hard to keep it away from the babies."

A crowd grew unruly at a western Pennsylvania toy distribution event, and the Salvation Army shut the program down for a day.

• WATCH: Ultimate Shopper Mom Camps Out for Days

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard says in a statement that police were called to the North Ave. toy giveaway at about noon Friday. Authorities reported that there was a long waiting line, and when some people cut in front the crowd became unruly.

People surged into the facility when the doors opened and the Salvation Army did not have enough staff to control the situation, so the distribution was shut down for a day.

There were no arrests or injuries, and police cleared the scene just after 1 p.m.

Also on NBC10.com:

• Target Shoppers: What to Do Now
• Your Shopping Behavior is Being Aggressively Tracked
• Retailers Will Open 24/7 Until Christmas

One person is in custody after a Clairemont break-in on the 5800 block of Mt. Alifan Drive.

Officers responded to a report of someone breaking into an occupied apartment. According to police, the suspect was believed to be intoxicated and broke into the apartment because he thought he was being followed.

According to police, a woman was in the apartment with her two children. The suspect said people were chasing him and began to use the woman's furniture to barricade the apartment. She took the children into a bedroom and locked the door before calling police.

Police had to pull the woman and two kids out the bedroom window while officers worked to contact the man.

A convicted serial rapist will stay in custody even though he's served his prison time a San Diego judge ruled Thursday.

Alvin Ray Quarles will have a new trial to determine whether he should now be committed to a state hospital for sex offenders.

Quarles was called the "Bolder Than Most" rapist who would sometimes force his victim's husbands or boyfriends to watch his attacks.

In 1989, Quarles pleaded guilty to four counts of rape and other counts of burglary and robbery and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Now 51, Quarles was set for parole.

Under the law in effect when he was sentenced, he could be paroled after serving only half of his sentence.

His victims say he doesn't deserve freedom.

‘He gets out, do I think he will do it again? Absolutely. Do I have any doubt he's a sexual predator? None at all,” said Mary Taylor.

Thursday’s hearing was driven by two of Quarles' victims once they heard he was going to be released.

Victim Cynthia Medina said it’s a painful, but necessary process.

“I feel like I'm getting some power back that he took away from me and it's painful but I'll get through it,” Medina said.

Prosecutors argued Quarles met the legal criteria of being a sexually violent predator.

A judge agreed and said another trial will be held to determine whether Quarles should be sent to a state hospital for sex offenders.

Once this case goes to trial, a jury will decide whether Quarles will be committed to a state hospital for sex offenders. If that happens, it's not clear how long he would stay confined.
 

A 15-year-old suburban Chicago boy is accused of fatally stabbing his 25-year-old brother during a domestic dispute, police said.

Flossmoor police officers were called to the 2800 block of Chayes Park Drive just before 1 a.m. Friday for a call of a domestic disturbance, according to a release from police.

Responding officers found a 25-year-old victim suffering from an apparent knife wound inside the residence, the release said. The victim was transported to South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Michail Tigue, 15, was charged as an adult with first-degree murder in connection to the stabbing death of his brother Steven Tigue, according to Chief Michael Pulic.

Police say the murder is the town’s first homicide in more than 30 years.
 

Some stores are ending the holiday shopping season the same way they began it — with round-the-clock, marathon shopping hours.

Kohl's for the first time is staying open for essentially five days straight, from 6 a.m. on Friday through 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Macy's and Kmart are opening some of their stores for more than 100 hours in a row from Friday through Christmas Eve. And Toys R Us is staying open for 87 hours straight starting on Saturday, which is typically the second biggest shopping day of the year.

The expanded hours in the final days before Christmas are reminiscent of how some retailers typically begin the season on the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday. The strategy comes as stores try to recoup lost sales during a season that's been hobbled by a number of factors.

Despite a recovering economy, many Americans have been struggling with stagnant wages and other issues. On top of that, the time period between the official holiday shopping kickoff on Black Friday and the end of the season is six days shorter than a year ago. That has given Americans less time to shop.

Sales at U.S. stores rose 2 percent to $176.7 billion from Nov. 1 through last Sunday, according to ShopperTrak. That's a slower pace than the 2.4 percent increase the Chicago store data tracker expects for the entire two-month season.

The disappointing growth pace has put more pressure on retailers to get people into stores in the final days before Christmas. A lot is at stake because they can make up to 40 percent of their revenue in November and December.

"It's make or break for the retailers," said C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, a consumer research company. "They have to make up for lost ground."

Retailers hope the expanded hours will make last-minute shopping easier for Americans like Peter Sallese, who have either stayed out of stores so far because of money problems, inclement weather or other issues. The financial executive from New York City said he's usually finished with shopping by mid-December, but with the shortened season, he fell behind.

"Basically, when I came back from Thanksgiving, there was no time," Sallese said. "Add in the snow and the freezing weather, and you didn't feel like shopping."

This isn't the first year retailers have used marathon hours to lure shoppers. Toys R Us will open for from 6 a.m. on Saturday to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve — the fourth year it's had marathon hours at the end of the season. And this is the third year Kmart has offered round-the-clock hours: The discounter will open a little more than one tenth of its 1,100 stores from 6 a.m. on Friday until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Macy's began testing its 24-hour strategy in 2006, but it has made tweaks this year. Most Macy's locations were open for 48 hours straight during the final two days before Christmas last year. But this year, 37 of Macy's 800 stores will be open for 107 hours from 7 a.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The rest of Macy's locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday through Monday. And on Christmas Eve, most Macy's stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"Our customers love the option to shop late night, overnight and/or first thing in the morning," said Elina Kazan, a Macy's spokeswoman.

In Coronado, firefighters were investigating a fire that started inside a second story apartment on Orange Avenue Saturday.

Firefighters had to knock down a wall inside the structure right next to Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint in Coronado.

Two businesses were closed near the apartment after the fire started around 9 p.m.

Three people living in the apartment escaped injury but now need a place to stay, officials said.

The fire burned inside a wall and did not spread to the rest of the apartment.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
 

One person died when a vehicle crashed  along State Route 67 just south of Scripps Poway Parkway Sunday.

Another driver spotted the wreckage off the right side of the highway around 7:20 a.m. and called 911.

California Highway Patrol and Heartland firefighters responded and found the vehicle in a ditch down an embankment.

San Diego County sheriff’s deputies confirmed one person died in the crash.

Check back for updates on this developing story.