Authorities said suspects were in custody in connection with the shooting death of an off-duty Cook County Sheriff's investigator outside of a holiday party Friday night in a Chicago suburb.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office confirmed Sunday that multiple suspects were in custody, but could not offer any further details. Charges were dependent on the Cook County State's Attorney, officials said.

Officer Cuauhtemoc Estrada, 50, was fatally shot outside of a family Christmas party at the VFW Bellwood Memorial Post 5081, on the 200 block of 30th Avenue, in west suburban Bellwood while trying to stop the armed robbery of his daughter's boyfriend.

Family members said Estrada confronted two masked men with a large gun who were robbing his daughter's boyfriend outside of the party.

Shots were fired around 7:30 p.m. when Estrada tried to intervene in the attempted robbery, officials said at a news conference.

Estrada was shot in the chest while reaching for his weapon, according to Bellwood's Public Safety Director Andre Harvey. It was not clear whether Estrada was carrying a service weapon or a personal one.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said Estrada was a former U.S. Marine and a 20-year veteran of the department. He worked in the department's electronic monitoring unit, according to sheriff's spokesman Ben Breit.

"It's horribly sad for everybody," Dart said. "He was an amazing person."

A robbery attempt in Cardiff-by-the-Sea went wrong for a man who tried to hold up a 7-Eleven store Sunday morning.

The suspect unsuccessfully demanded cash from the store at 2211 San Elijo Ave. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle as it left the store.

While driving away, police say the suspect called 911 to tell officers to stop chasing him.

The car chase ended after a 12-mile pursuit when the suspect crashed into an electrical box on Torrey Pines Road.

He then fled on foot, but was caught by deputies at Torrey Pines Golf Course and arrested for attempted robbery and other charges.

A man who once taught at a Southern California elementary school is accused of molesting more than a dozen boys across the state, including students inside his classroom, police said.

Jeffrey Simonek, 28, of Torrance, was arrested in connection with a Los Angeles County grand jury indictment that alleges he molested boys in Los Angeles and Orange counties, and in northern California, according to the indictment obtained by The Daily Breeze.

Simonek taught fifth grade and once worked at Center Street School in El Segundo, El Segundo Police Sgt. Hugo Perez told NBC4.

SoCal Jewelry Thief Caught on Camera

The charges stem from alleged crimes that occurred between September 2011 and September 2012, with one additional crime that was alleged to have occurred in 2007, according to the indictment.

He was arrested Nov. 26, and pleaded not guilty at his Dec. 12 arraignment, the Daily Breeze reported.

Detectives began investigating Simonek in August 2012 after an anonymous report to the Department of Children and Family Services alleged he sexually assaulted two boys in his Center Street School classroom, the Daily Breeze reported. He was then placed on leave.

Family of Man Killed by Deputies Protest in LA

Simonek has volunteered and worked for several camps and organizations including The Painted Turtle in Lake Hughes, the South Bay Conservatory in Torrance, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Orange County, police said.

He is being held in lieu of $20 million bail and is facing 20 counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old, according to the indictment.

Police are hoping surveillance video will help them catch a jewelry thief who stole a bracelet worth nearly $85,000 from a Southern California mall.

The thief was caught on camera snatching the jewelry and fleeing on foot from Romano’s Jewelers in the Glendale Galleria about 6:40 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Caught on Camera: Top Surveillance Videos of 2013

The thief first asked to look at a bracelet, one the shop doesn’t typically carry -- a white gold Rolex bracelet with eight carats in diamonds, priced at about $85,000.

The man asked to see the bracelet, and store employees took it out of the case to show it to him.

The owner of Romano’s Jewelers said normal protocol is to ask for a customer’s drivers license before letting anyone handle a piece of jewelry.

Target Breach: Chase Limits Debit Card Use

“He didn’t look like he would do something because he was wearing expensive jewelry, too,” assistant manager Nadjiba Djellali said.

The man can be seen leaning over the counter for only a few seconds to look at the bracelet before he takes off running.

Djellali chased him through the mall and into the parking lot, where she called police.

LAX Busier Than Last Holiday Season

The store only had the bracelet in stock for two days as a featured holiday item, store manager Anthony Hurtado told NBC4.

Hurtado believes the man knew what he was doing when he came into the store.

“He didn’t come walking around the store,” he said. “He went straight to this case, straight to that bracelet and just ran off with it.”

The man was described as African-American, 20 to 25 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, and about 130 to 160 pounds. He was seen wearing a black beanie, dark shirt and black leather jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call Glendale police detectives at 818-548-3127.

Two teenagers were hospitalized and a parent was arrested after San Diego County sheriff’s deputies broke up a house party in Poway on Friday night.

The man believed to be responsible for a deadly shooting in Reseda has been identified by police as an Iraq war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release Saturday.

Ricardo Javier Tapia, 32, of Reseda, is accused of fatally shooting a man and critically wounding a woman in a Reseda apartment complex Friday night, police said.

1 Dead, 2 Hurt in Reseda Shooting

The woman remained in the hospital in critical condition Saturday afternoon, police said.

The drama began at 6:40 p.m. in the 7200 block of Canby Avenue in Reseda, police said. Neighbors called police reporting they heard as many as 20 shots fired and a screaming man with a gun, police said.

Tapia was allegedly covered in blood and shouting "Hitler, President Obama and terrorists,” before going outside shirtless and charging at officers, said LAPD Lt. Robert Davis.

"We had a man with no shirt, who came out covered in blood head to toe who charged us like a football player,” said Lt. Robert Davis, of the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Division. “Officers showed a lot of restraint."

LAPD Capt. John Egan said it took several officers and a stun gun to restrain Tapia after a gun battle with officers.

Tapia is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. The shooting remains under investigation.
 

A car crashed into the San Miguel Fire District Station 16 at 905 Gillespie Dr. Saturday night, causing a fire.

Cal Fire said one person has been taken into custody and another is being evaluated by medics after a car drove into the front pillars of the fire station, causing the fire.

Sheriff's deputies were on the scene investigating late Saturday night.
 

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A police car chase ended up with a three-vehicle accident and two suspects in custody Sunday morning in El Cajon.

According to police, the chase started in La Mesa when officers made a traffic stop at El Cajon Boulevard and Baltimore Drive. When the driver spotted the officer’s vehicle behind him, he fled the location.

The pursuit continued eastbound on I-8 and then northbound on the 67 Freeway where the suspect’s vehicle collided into two vehicles on the Bradley St. off ramp.

The male driver and female passenger then fled on foot and were arrested.

The driver, Sean Bartelson was charged with felony evading. He was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital after complaining of neck pain.

The passenger, Chelsea Hill, was charged with Resisting/Delaying a Peace Officer.

An occupant in one of the struck vehicles was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. No officers were injured in the pursuit.

We all remember “Batkid,” Miles Scott, the 5-year-old who saved San Francisco, aka “Gotham City.” Now, it's time for “Wonder Girl” to come to the rescue of another Bay Area town, Vallejo.

Her real name is Monika Romo. The 10-year-old said she watched Batkid’s San Francisco adventure and never thought she’d get a day of her own.

But Monika’s not battling villains. She’s trying to save the city of Vallejo by sharing her own story about her battle with leukemia.

“I think it's really nice that people would do something like this,” said Monika Romo, aka “Wonder Girl.”

PHOTOS: Wonder Girl to the Rescue

Thursday, Romo visited schools and other institutions throughout the morning as part of a special day organized by her family, Supporting Our Cancer Kids, a Solano County support organization for children with cancer, and the community group Vallejo Together.

Monika’s name was kept secret until Thursday so the special day would be a surprise to her.

Maria Guevara, an organizer with Vallejo Together, said Monika -- known Thursday as Wonder Girl -- wrote an essay last month about how to save Vallejo from "evil villains." She read the essay to the crowd that gathered Thursday morning in front of Vallejo City Hall.

She is sharing her ideas on how to protect the city and how she has transformed into a superhero throughout her battle with cancer.

“We've had so much support from Day 1 from everybody,” said Alejandra Romo, Monika’s mother. “The school has been part of our family…it's been awesome.”

Monika started the morning at Pennycook Elementary School, where her classmates did a flash mob in her honor, and then headed to Vallejo High School. She then made her way to Vallejo City Hall and the California Maritime Academy before returning to Pennycook Elementary for a noontime event with Hogan Middle School students.

She was given the key to the city, a laptop, and a watch, in addition to numerous awards.

Guevara said the day is about including all generations of Vallejo in the discussion of strengthening their community.

PHOTOS: San Francisco's Batkid Saves Gotham

Attendees of the various events were asked to wear superhero costumes and T-shirts, organizers said.

Monika says Wonder Woman has always been her favorite superhero. Her mom says Monika’s leukemia is in remission, but she is still undergoing treatment.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

Faith leaders are rallying around the family of Jahi McMath, demanding not just answers, but an investigation into Children’s Hospital in Oakland.

Jahi is the 13-year-old girl who underwent tonsil surgery two weeks ago and was later declared brain dead. She is on a ventilator for now, and her family is hoping for a Christmas miracle.

A temporary restraining order that is keeping the girl on a ventilator expires Monday, the same day an independent doctor is set to evaluate Jahi’s condition.

MORE: Battle to Keep Oakland's Jahi McMath on Life Support Goes to Court

On Tuesday, that family-approved doctor is expected to present his conclusion to a judge. In the meantime, faith leaders accuse the hospital of gross insensitivity, based on claims that doctors made callous statements to the family.

"Whether he or she be a doctor or administrator, when he says, 'she’s dead, dead, dead and we want the court to say no, no no,' it represents a lack of sensitivity," said Rev. Dr. Harold R. Mayberry, Sr. Pastor of First AME in Oakland.

A hospital spokesman denies that those words were ever spoken but said doctors did make it clear that in their opinion, Jahi is dead.

“As medical professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure that we don’t create hope where there is none. When one’s brain ceases to function, it never restarts," the chief of pediatrics said in a statement issued Sunday.

Pastor Cheryl Ward of Cheryl Ward Ministries said she disagrees.

"We believe God, that God has the final answer, plug pulled and all, that God will give the final answer to what happens in Jahi’s life," she said.

On Sunday night, a group of faith leaders sent a letter to Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’ Malley requesting a formal investigation of the hospital and what happened to Jahi.

They are also accusing doctors and administrators here of being insensitive to Jahi’s family.

Church members gathered outside Children’s Hospital Sunday praying for a miracle that 13-year-old Jahi McMath, who doctors say is brain dead and has no chance of waking up, will do the impossible.

"It makes me feel better because they believe as I do that God has the final say in what happens to my daughter," Jahi's mother Nailah Winkfield said. "And the doctors don’t know everything because if they did, my daughter wouldn’t be brain dead right now."

In an open letter released this weekend, Jahi’s mother says her daughter responds to her touch and still feels warm.

She said, given time, she believes God will wake her daughter up.

“And when she does wake up, she’s going to shake up a whole lot of people that didn’t believe what I believe," Winkfield said. "I swear she will."

The hospital said it is committed to investigating what went wrong in Jahi’s case.

Jahi’s family has organized a march tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m. at the hospital.

They are asking everyone to wear purple, Jahi’s favorite color.

A former public relations executive issued an apology Sunday for what she called a "needless and insensitive tweet" about AIDS that took the Internet by storm over the weekend.

"There is an AIDS crisis taking place in this country, that we read about in America, but do not live with or face on a continuous basis," Justine Sacco said in a statement to NBC News. "Unfortunately, it is terribly easy to be cavalier about an epidemic that one has never witnessed firsthand."

Sacco, who revealed in her written apology that she was born in South Africa, added that she was "ashamed" for being insensitive to the AIDS crisis on her home continent.

The New York-based executive for InterActiveCorp was fired after she sent a controversial tweet that sparked a firestorm of responses online.

"Going to Africa," Sacco tweeted before she boarded the flight. "Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!"

While Sacco was up in the air, the public took to Twitter to express their outrage. One Miami woman reportedly started the hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet, which started trending worldwide. Buzzfeed, among the first online blogs to break the story, reported on Saturday that her name was tweeted more than 30,000 times and the hashtag appeared nearly 100,000 times.

Aids for Africa, a NGO that promotes AIDS awareness, even bought the domain www.justinesacco.com and used it to redirect visitors to the organization's fundraising page.

When Sacco's plane landed at about 11:20 p.m. ET, the tweet had been deleted, along with her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, according to Buzzfeed.

Sacco's employers at IAC fired her for the tweet and issued a statement on Saturday that said, "there is no excuse for the hateful statements that have been made and we condemn them unequivocally."

Take the trolley or bus to your destination on Christmas and you can take along a friend for free.

The promotion, offered by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, covers Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

It’s just one of the changes to the public transit system’s schedule San Diegans can expect over the next two weeks.

MTS will modify its schedule for the Christmas holiday this week.

On Tuesday, expect fewer Premium Express buses. However, all Trolley lines and MTS urban, Express, and local bus routes will operate on a normal weekday schedule.

On Wednesday, San Diego’s public transit system will run on a Sunday service schedule. The only express route operating will be the Express Route 20.

MTS Access subscriptions are cancelled Monday, Dec. 23 through Wednesday, Dec. 25.

Passengers with subscriptions who require transportation on those days must call two to three days in advance to arrange their trip.

On Christmas and New Year’s Day, any paying passenger can bring one friend along to ride for free.

For detailed holiday service schedules visit the SDMTS website.
 

A tour bus carrying about 40 people home from a trip to a Palm Springs casino crashed off a freeway exit ramp, down a small embankment and into a utility pole Monday morning, but there were no reports of serious injuries.

I-Team Investigation: Tour Bus Safety

The crash was reported at about 4:30 a.m. on the Baldwin Hills exit ramp (map) in Baldwin Park, about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Emergency vehicles are at the location and responders set up a triage area in a Food 4 Less store parking lot to treat passengers.

The triage area -- red, yellow and green color-coded mats that indicate the severity of victims' injuries -- was removed at about 6 a.m. after only minor injuries involving about 12 passengers were reported. A tow vehicle pulled the bus from the ditch at about 6:30 a.m.

Read: Feds Shut Down 52 Unsafe Bus Companies

A preliminary California Highway Patrol investigation indicated speed was a factor in the crash.

"(The driver) wasn't able to negotiate the turn, on the off ramp," said CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez. "Had he been going slower, he would have been able to negotiate it and no collision would have occurred."

There were about 40 passengers aboard the bus, many of whom were sleeping when the bus slid off the curving exit ramp and into a shallow drainage ditch between the ramp and store parking lot. A passenger told NBC4 rescue crews removed windows to help passengers exit the bus because the door was blocked from the outside.

The bus is registered to Travel Tours Americas International Inc., of Hacienda Heights.

A minor traffic back-up was reported early Monday on the westbound 10 Freeway. The exit ramp is expected to reopened at about 9 a.m.

Read: CHP Raids Tour Bus Company

The crash comes after two tour bus crashes Thursday on the same stretch of the 15 Freeway.

The Chargers remain alive.

Against the rival Oakland Raiders, San Diego won Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium, and now, still remain in playoff contention with help from the Dolphins (who lost to the Bills Sunday) and the Ravens (who lost to the Patriots.)

"It's big," said wide receiver Vincent Brown.

The game could be characterized by sloppy plays and silly mistakes by both teams-- especially in the first half-- but the Chargers were able to come up with several timely plays, including an interception by Eric Weddle and a forced fumble by Seyi Ajirotutu and Darrell Stuckey (with a recovery by Ladarius Green.) Both situations led to points.

"I'm just glad I was able to pull it back in to get the ball back," Weddle said on his interception, which he tipped, bobbled and then sucked to his chest. "We got the momentum back, and that was big. We maintained our composure."

The Chargers turned the ball over three times in the first half, but did enough to come back for the win.

"We started off a little slow and then came in at halftime and were like, 'What do we go to do to get this win?" said running back Ronnie Brown. "It was about settling down and executing."

Added safety Darrell Stuckey: "We came in at halftime and knew it shouldn't have been that close and that we just weren't executing."

San Diego got points on the board first with a 27-yard field goal on their first offensive drive of the game.

A bad snap between center Nick Hardwick and quarterback Philip Rivers led to a fumble at the beginning of the second quarter. The Raiders recovered and capitalized with a touchdown, taking the lead.

A promising drive by the Chargers was killed by an interception at Oakland's 31, but a few plays later, Eric Weddle returned the favor by intercepting Matt McGloin at Oakland's 20. The Chargers took over, and Ryan Mathews got in the end zone with a 7-yard rushing touchdown.

San Diego finished the game with 148 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half.

"We were able to get some yards, and everyone involved make it easy on us," said running back Danny Woodhead.

Rookie Keenan Allen muffed a punt in the second quarter, which led to an Oakland recovery and a field goal. Going into halftime, the score was tied.

Allen redeemed himself in the third quarter with a touchdown catch, his fifth touchdown in his last seven catches. The Chargers took the lead, 17-10.

"It feels amazing," Allen said. "Knowing we can go in next week with a purpose, with something to play for, feels good."

A 34-yard gain by Mathews on the Chargers next offensive drive put the Chargers in position for a field goal attempt, and kicker Nick Novak was successful with a 48-yard kick.

Chargers special team aces Darrell Stuckey and Seyi Ajirotutu forced a fumble on the next punt and Ladarius Green recovered for San Diego. The Chargers kicked another field goal and went up 23-10 to start the fourth quarter.

"When the guys around me do exactly what they're supposed to, they give me an opportunity to beat my block and make a play," Stuckey said. "Most of the credit goes to the guys around me."

The Raiders were able to put up three more points with a field goal.

The Chargers are still alive, but they need help. Miami and Baltimore both need to lose next week and the Chargers need to beat the Chiefs for a favorable outcome.

"This team just waited too long to put it all together," said linebacker Jarret Johnson. "We blew some games we shouldn't have lost."

Still ... alive is alive.

"I feel like we're just a bunch of warriors," Stuckey said. "We're out here for the fight. We're out here for the game."

NOTES

• Chargers tight end John Phillips left the game with a knee injury.
• Ryan Mathews set a new career best, with over 1100 rushing yards on the season and still counting. His previous best was 1,091 in 2011.
• Keenan Allen had a career-best 28-yard punt return today.

Polluted runoff has closed Imperial Beach to swimmers and surfers Monday.

San Diego County health officials expanded the closure of the coastline near the U.S.-Mexico border due to sewage-contaminated runoff in the Tijuana River.

The recent rainfall has pushed pollutants into the water and northward ocean currents are carrying those pollutants to the areas along Imperial Beach’s shoreline.

The county Department of Environmental Health expanded the closure Saturday from the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge to the shoreline of Imperial Beach.

Warning signs to stay out of the water will be posted until measurements show it's safe for recreational use.
 

A group of burglars used a doggie door to break into a Southern California family’s home, steal children’s piggy banks and presents from under the Christmas tree and make off with an ornate urn holding the ashes of their grandparents.

The brazen theft happened the afternoon of Dec. 20 in the 900 block of North Madison Avenue, a quiet, tree-line street in Pasadena. Police in the city said they’ve seen thieves use doggie doors to break into homes before, but not recently.

Once inside, the thieves ransacked Griffin Gmelich’s home.

The thieves emptied stockings, ripped ornaments off the tree, and snatched jewelry and electronics. One was caught on camera hauling what appeared to be a flat-screen TV.

Caught on Camera: Top Surveillance Videos of 2013

“You could see the TV cords ripped out of the wall,” Gmelich said.

His young children’s piggy banks were stolen and their presents were plucked right out from under the Christmas tree. But most painful, Gmelich said, is that the thieves took the urn holding his parent’s ashes.

“They literally stole my mom and dad," he said.

The thieves left behind footprints and fingerprints. A neighbor’s security camera captured images of the thieves. For two hours, they carried stolen items out of the home and into a getaway car. Detectives are searching for four burglars, possibly teens.

The family said they wanted to share their story not for donations but to see justice served and warn others.

Gmelich said the doggie door the thieves used to break into his home belongs to his 100-pound Guffman, who, despite what his size may suggest, is more of a lover than a fighter.

“Once they got in, he probably befriended them because he's a friendly guy,” Gmelich said of his dog.

Days before Christmas, the family is dealing with unwanted changes. They’re now installing an alarm system and Guffman’s doggie door is being sealed.

Caught on Camera: Jewelry Thief Snatches $85K Bracelet

But most heartwrenching, Gmelich said, is how his family’s peace of mind was stolen and his children’s holiday spirit dampened.

“They don’t understand,” he said. “The spirit of Christmas? It’d odd to them now.”

An 83-year-old man was seriously injured after being hit by a car Sunday afternoon, according to police.

The accident happened just before 3 p.m. in the 3600 block of University Ave., right on the border of North Park and City Heights.

Co-workers identified the victim as George Danapoulous, the owner of “Disigns by Digeorgio.” They say Danapoulous was getting ready for a holiday party at the shop.

Store manager Tyler Hamilton says Danapoulous went to his car, which was parked on the street, to get something for his girlfriend. Hamilton says as his boss was getting out of the car, a female driver slammed into him.

“He flew through the tree and by the time he landed, I was right there," Hamilton said. "I was holding him while he was bleeding. It was bad.”

Witnesses say the impact was so great, it knocked him out of his clothes. Danapoulous was taken to the hospital with serious injuries to his head and both legs.

Co-workers say Danapoulous has been in business in the area for more than three decades. Friends described him as "a pillar to the community," feeding neighborhood kids on Saturdays and helping the homeless by letting them work in the shop.

"Everyone knows him" Casey Parker said. "He'd give the shirt off his back to anybody."

"He heart for people," Hamilton added.

The co-workers told NBC 7 that speed is a problem on the street.

"This street is constant. Somebody's always getting hit by a car or something," Hamilton said. "They need to put a stop sign in somewhere." 

There is no word on Danapoulous’ condition or what consequences the driver could face.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Firefighters maneuvered along a narrow road to reach a fire that ultimately gutted an Alpine home early Monday.

The home was tucked away into the foothills along Homeward Way.

Heartland firefighters arrived just after they were called around 2 a.m. and found a home fully engulfed in flames and smoke.

No one was in the home at the time. Some animals were on the property but were not injured in the blaze, officials said.

Firefighters had to use long lines of fire hose to make it down the narrow entry road to the home.

Once they were able to get water on the fire, they were able to knock the fire down by 3 a.m.

Crews were still on the scene four hours later, mopping up.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.
 

A man was killed in a multi-car crash along the Embarcadero Sunday evening, according to officials.

Four vehicles were involved in the accident, which happened on North Harbor Drive at West Grape Street around 7:10 p.m.

Michael Jay Glantz, 62, of Alpine was critically injured when his blue 2010 Hyundai Elantra was struck from behind.

Emergency personnel pulled Glantz from the vehicle and tried to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials tell NBC 7 two other victims were taken to the UCSD Medical Center. The extent of their injuries is unknown.

Witness Steve Thorn described the crash as a "tremendous explosion."

“The car propelled itself over the island there and flipped over three or four times, at least,” Thorn said.

The domino-effect accident happened about a mile and a half from the San Diego International Airport, where Andy Hendry and his wife had just landed. Hendry said they had only been driving their rental car for five minutes when they were rear-ended.

Hendry says they were lucky.

"We weren't hurt. The car really didn't suffer much damage," he said. "But as you can see, it's catastrophic, the rest of it."

Officials said a white Dodge Charger struck Glantz' vehicle. As a result, Glantz' car ran into a small red sedan that was also traveling southbound.

Glantz' car landed on the raised median between the north and southbound lanes of Harbor Drive.

"I feel so bad for the people, the families and all those people," he added. "That's really too bad. This is really unnecessary."

Multiple units from San Diego Police and Fire-Rescue responded to the scene.

The accident caused traffic problems because of its location near the airport on a busy travel day.

North Harbor Drive from Ash Street to Grape Street was closed until just after  midnight.
 

View N Harbor Dr & W Grape St in a larger map

Police are investigating a home invasion in Clairemont Mesa after a 25-year-old man was shot in the torso Monday morning. There is evidence of a marijuana grow at the apartment and police lieutenant Darryl Hoover indicated it might be a targeted break in.

Officers were called to the home, at 3710 Boyd Ave., after the man who was shot called police. Hoover said they are looking for four black male teenagers in dark clothing they believe are responsible.

"It appears it may have been a drug rip, at this point in time," Hoover said.

A police chopper is looking for the suspects. Hoover said he does not believe this was a random crime and doesn't think residents in the area are in any danger.

“We want to make it clear based on our current investigation, that it appears to be drug related, versus any other thing," Hoover said. "It's not just someone going around and attacking strangers for reasons other than maybe people involved in criminal activity."

Hoover said there was no active pursuit and no better description of the suspects. He's not sure how they got away, or which direction they went.

The man was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital.

Cassandra Edwards, who lives in the apartment complex with her husband and two children, said she was surprised a crime like this could happen there.

“It’s like mostly families and everybody brings their kids out to play in the front yard and God, it’s like nothing like this has ever happened before, as far as I know,” she said. “You know, I’ve never seen this many cop cars on this little street before.”

She is also surprised that someone is growing marijuana in their apartment, across the street.

“(It) just doesn’t seem like the type of neighborhood that would be conducive to that kind of thing,” she said.