A cunning cobra who spent days loose in a Los Angeles suburb is about to make her public debut at the San Diego Zoo.

But first, she needs a name.

The zoo is currently having a contest to name the superstar snake. Here are the choices:

Adhira (“lightning”)

Saphēda (“white”)

Krīma (“cream”)

Cīnī (“sugar”)

Mōtī (“pearl”)

Sundara (“beautiful”)

Click here to vote for your favorite.

The white monocled cobra made headlines in September when she eluded wildlife workers in Thousand Oaks for days. The snake bit a dog, but that animal recovered. She was eventually spotted Sept. 4 by a mom driving to pick up her seventh grader from school.

The exotic snake was transferred from the Los Angeles Zoo to the San Diego Zoo because San Diego had the correct anti-venom for the Asian cobra.

It's against the law in California to own this type of snake as a pet. Her owner has never been found.

The cobra will go on display Tuesday after a three-month quarantine, according to the zoo.

Police departments and civic leaders across the United States mourned publicly on Saturday and Sunday, condemning violence and calling for calm after two police officers were shot dead in their squad car in what New York City's commissioner called an "assassination."

President Barack Obama was among those who expressed support for the police. "Two brave men won't be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification," the president said Saturday night in a statement. "Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal — prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen."

Obama called New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton on Sunday and said Americans must reject violence and instead turn to prayer and sympathy for the victims' relatives, the White House said. The president said his administration will work with leaders across the country to echo that message.

Police departments around the country expressed solidarity with the NYPD, adorning their badges with black bands in honor of the slain officers.

In Philadelphia, where anti-police graffiti appeared this week, a police spokeswoman called the shootings a "horrible act of terror."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with New York Police Department and the families of these officers," the spokeswoman said.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter took to Twitter to condemn the shooting.

Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were sitting in a squad car in Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon when the shooter, identified as 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley, approached the car and fatally shot both officers in the head, police said. Brinsley then ran into a nearby subway station and killed himself, according to police.

"They were, quite simply, assassinated — targeted for their uniform," said Bratton. "Both officers paid the ultimate sacrifice today while protecting the communities they serve."

Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Marcia L. Fudge released a statement Sunday morning, saying the police officers' "tragic deaths are a great loss for the NYPD, their families, and our nation. This is not about race or affiliation, and it isn't about black versus blue. All lives matter."

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the shootings a "particularly despicable act," and called on New Yorkers to pray for the families of Ramos and Liu. He ordered that flags in the city be lowered to half-staff from sunrise Sunday until the officers' burial.

But New York Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch was critical of the mayor's office. Lynch tied the shootings to violence against the NYPD during recent protests in the city and blamed the mayor directly for a perceived lack of support as the department has come under scrutiny.

"There's blood on many hands tonight," Lynch said, and "starts on the steps of City Hall in the office of the mayor."

In response, the mayor's office said, "it's unfortunate that in a time of great tragedy, some would resort to irresponsible, overheated rhetoric that angers and divides people."

Loretta E. Lynch, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, pledged that her office would assist with the investigation of the shooting.

"I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of this afternoon's brutal and senseless attack on two NYPD Officers, and I join Attorney General Holder in expressing my deepest condolences to the families of these fallen heroes," she said. "Today's assailant struck at the heart of our city — the dedicated officers who pledge their lives to safeguard us all."

The killings on Saturday come amid tensions over the deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police. Bratton said Saturday that the suspect had a history of making anti-police comments. It remained unclear whether he had any involvement in the protest movement.

The family of Eric Garner, the New York man who died after he was put in a chokehold by police denounced on Sunday the killing of two police officers.

"Anyone who's standing with us, we want you to not use Eric Garner's name for violence because we are not about that," Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, told reporters on Sunday. "I'm standing here in sorrow about losing those two police officers."

If the Chargers have taught us anything this year, it's to never count them out.

They proved that on Saturday night, trailing the San Francisco 49ers by 21 points in the second half. Seemingly down and out, the Bolts rallied to tie with seconds left. Then Nick Novak kicked a game-winning 40-yard field goal in overtime for a wild 38-35 win in Santa Clara.

Philip Rivers hit Malcom Floyd for an 11-yard touchdown with just 29 seconds left in regulation to tie it. That was the culmination of a flurry of scoring for the Bolts (9-6), who keep their playoff hopes very much alive.

Rivers overcame three interceptions to finish with 356 passing yards and four touchdowns, three of them in the second half. Antonio Gates caught a pair of those scores, finishing with 92 yards.

The Chargers got back into the game in the third quarter on a crazy sequence of plays. After a Colin Kaepernick 63-yard touchdown to Vontae Davis was called back for a penalty, the Chargers stripped Kaepernick on the next play and pounced on the ball in the end zone to cut the lead to 28-21.

Eddie Royal led the Bolts with 94 receiving yards, including a 15-yard touchdown for the Chargers' first score.

The win overshadowed an impressive San Francisco rushing attack. The Niners (7-8) ran for 355 yards, including 151 and a touchdown from Kaepernick. Frank Gore led them with 158 yards rushing and a score of his own.

A pedestrian was killed after being run over by a pickup truck Saturday night in Ramona, according to officials.

The deadly accident happened around 6:15 p.m. at State Route 67/Main Street and 11th Street.

When paramedics arrived, they discovered a man trapped underneath a white pickup truck, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. They tried to save his life but were unsuccessful.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner did not release the victim's name but said he was a transient.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the man walked out in front of a Ford Ranger truck, which was going about 35 mph.

Northbound SR-67 was closed while crews were on scene Saturday night. CHP issued a Sig Alert.

A fire closed an Escondido mall on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

The small fire was reported just before 6 a.m. Sunday at Westfield North County on Via Rancho Parkway, according to the Escondido Fire Department. A security guard told NBC 7 the fire started inside the Brookstone store.

All mall employees were evacuated. The mall wasn't scheduled to open until 8 a.m. Sunday, so no customers were inside. The fire was out in about 20 minutes, fire officials said.

The three-story mall eventually opened at 9:30 a.m., according to its Facebook page, but a handful of stores remained closed. As of 10:30 a.m., Brookstone, Cache and Old Navy were still closed. The Cheesecake Factory was scheduled to open at 11:15 a.m., according to a notice posted on the door.

The inconvenient closure came just days before Christmas and one day after “Super Saturday,” which is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year. The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert for Interstate 15 at Via Rancho Parkway Saturday night because of a traffic backup of mall shoppers.

“With all the traffic and everyone driving around, we tried to wait until early this morning," said shopper Bill Burke, who says he was turned away when he arrived at the mall early Sunday.

Burke was eventually able to do his holiday shopping but said there were still signs of the fire inside the mall.

“Unfortunately, it’s by the Santa Experience," he said. "They have it cordoned off, and it smells pretty bad.”

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A HAZMAT crew was on scene.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Four people, including two children, were shot dead inside of a residence in Rockford, Illinois, on Saturday night, Rockford police said.

A neighbor said she heard pounding on the door of the residence and then the sound of the door being forced open. The sound of gunshots immediately followed.

Police responded to the call of shots fired in the 3200 block of Montrose Avenue at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived, they found four victims with gunshot wounds. All of them were pronounced dead on the scene by Rockford Fire Department paramedics, police said.

The victims were Martia Flint, 24; Demontae Rhodes, 24; Tyrone Smith III, 6; and Tobias K. Smith, 4. The two children belonged to Flint.

An autopsy is scheduled for the victims on Monday.

Rockford detectives are continuing the investigation in the shooting. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Rockford police shift commander at (815) 987-5824 or Crime Stoppers at (815) 963-7867.

UPDATE: Police crews continued their search on the Schuylkill River Monday.

More than three weeks after his disappearance, officials found the keys of missing college student Shane Montgomery.

The Garden State Underwater Recovery Unit, a volunteer diving recovery team, discovered the 21-year-old West Chester University student's personal keys in the Schuylkill River after searching for four and a half hours Sunday. No further evidence has been found however.

The Roxborough native was last seen early Thanksgiving morning as he left Kildare's Irish Pub along Main Street in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk.

Pings from his cellphone put him within a mile of the bar within an hour of his disappearance and surveillance video shows the West Chester University student walking toward the Manayunk Canal and Schuylkill River. Despite many searches on land, in the water and from the air, there have been no strong leads as to where Montgomery went.

Each day without Shane has been wearing on his family, said Kevin Verbrugghe, Shane's uncle.

"We’re not holding up well," Verbrugghe said.

Ongoing search efforts, including the use of sonar and underwriter cameras in a search of the Schuylkill River, have brought about few clues for Shane, who was last seen walking toward the Manayunk Canal.

"The prevailing theory is that he went into the river and where is he now? Tides change and there’s all kinds of debris under there," FBI Supervisory Special agent J.J. Klaver said Thursday.

Debris could have trapped the missing college student's body underwater, he explained.

A reward for information that leads investigators and the family to Montgomery still stands at $65,000. Friends and family continue to support the search efforts on their own as well.

Anyone with information is asked to call Philadelphia police at 215.686.TIPS.

Nearly 1,000 people marched through Center City during a protest for Mike Brown and Eric Garner Sunday night.

The Philadelphia “Blackout” march began at 7 p.m. on 1500 Arch Street. Hundreds of protesters marched around City Hall through Dilworth Plaza and eventually stopped at the statue of former Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo. Raheem Harvey, one of the event organizers, told NBC10 the goal of the demonstration was to “unify the people and give them an opportunity to speak.”

“As a human being we have a right to humanity,” Harvey said. “Everyone is entitled to first class citizenship regardless of the color of their skin.”

Some of the protesters gathered at the AT&T station on the Broad Street Line around 5:45 p.m. They took the subway into Center City while singing the words, “I can’t breathe,” the last words of Eric Garner before his death.

Harvey also said the protesters specifically chose to end their demonstration at the Frank Rizzo statue based on what they believe the former Philadelphia mayor stood for.

“He is an individual who was responsible for police brutality, especially towards the African American community,” Harvey said. “Here we have an individual who has his hands raised, waiving out to the people. No one thinks something is wrong with that. We definitely plan to make a statement there. We plan on working with the city to have it removed."

The protesters repeatedly chanted "black lives matter," and carried a banner which read, "fight hate with love." They also held a "die-in" demonstration on the Parkway.

The rally shut down several streets in Center City for a few hours. No arrests were reported however.

Harvey told NBC10 the ultimate goal of the demonstrators is to spark change within the Philadelphia Police Department.

“We want to be able to have a voice when it comes to the concerns of the community,” he said. “A police officer’s job is to provide customer service and to also establish the law. With that in mind we need to make sure that when investigations happen within the police department, the public is fully aware. There should not be any close door investigation.”

The protest was one of many that have occurred nationwide in response to two separate grand jury decisions not to indict the officers involved in the deaths of Eric Garner in New York and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The protest also took place a day after two NYPD officers, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, were shot and killed by a gunman in Brooklyn during an ambush attack. The suspect in the shooting, who ultimately took his own life, posted on social media that he intended to “take 2 of theirs” prior to the incident, according to investigators. Investigators also believe the suspect shot and injured his ex-girlfriend in Baltimore before coming to New York.

The fatal shooting of the two officers sparked claims from some that the nationwide protests and anti-police rhetoric inspired the shooter. In New York City, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch also linked the killings to violence against police during recent protest demonstrations and even claimed that NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio had “blood on his hands” for his apparent lack of support for law enforcement.

Harvey expressed his condolences for the NYC officers and their families while also stating the suspect in their deaths was not associated with his movement.

“My heart is with the family and also my prayers,” Harvey said. “We are not against police. We are against police brutality. No one deserves to have their lives taken. It should have never happened. The person is isolated from the movement but he’s using the movement to get his message across. But that’s a totally isolated incident.”

Members of the Philadelphia Police Civil Affairs Unit were on hand to monitor the protest.

Family and friends of officer Rafael Ramos, fatally shot with his partner in Brooklyn, thanked the public for its prayers and asked City Hall to mend its relationship with the NYPD as the officer's 13-year-old son decried the killer's apparent hatred for police.

"He was the best father I could ask for. It's horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer," Ramos' son, Jaden, posted on Facebook. "Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people they call for help. I will always love you and I will never forget you. RIP Dad."

Moments earlier, Jaden Ramos posted, "This is the worst day of My life." 

Ramos' aunt, Lucy Ramos, thanked all who shared their sympathies "for our beloved member" and called for reflection "on this tragic loss."

John Rodriguez, president of the 75th Precinct Community Council, said that reflection should include how to repair relations between the city's administration and its police force.

"My mayor, you need to sit down, you need to get everything corrected," he said.

Rodriguez added that he felt the local Patrolmen's Benevolent Association president "was very upset at that moment" when he insinuated that the killings of Ramos and officer Wenjian Liu could be tied to the mayor's lack of support for the department.

PBA President Patrick Lynch said Saturday night that there was "blood on many hands," including those of the mayor. De Blasio responded that Lynch's remarks were "irresponsible, overheated rhetoric."

Bowdoin College says it will pick up the tuition for a student whose father was killed in Saturday's shooting of two NYPD officers.

College President Barry Mills sent an email to the college community on Sunday saying that the school learned on Saturday night that Rafael Ramos, one of the two officers killed in Brooklyn, is the father of Bowdoin sophomore Justin Ramos, who is now with his family in New York. Rafael Ramos and his partner Wenjian Liu were shot at point blank range as they sat in their squad car. The gunman, who investigators say had posted threatening messages to social media ahead of the attack, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"This is an unspeakable tragedy, and our hearts go out to Justin and his family," Mills wrote. "We are a close community, and we share in Justin's pain and anguish. I know you join me in offering heartfelt condolences to Justin and the entire Ramos family, and I am sure you will respect their privacy as they and we support one another in the days and weeks ahead."

The college posted a statement on its website Monday saying that it is eager to welcome Justin back to campus for the start of the second semester in January, "or whenever he is ready to return."

At Mills' direction, the college informed Justin on Sunday that it will provide full financial aid to enable him to complete his Bowdoin education.

The New York Yankees, through their Silver Shield Foundation, had offered to cover college education costs for both of Rafael Ramos' children. Ramos also had a 13-year-old son.

"We are grateful for the Yankee Silver Shield Foundation's offer to assist, but Bowdoin has it covered," the college said in its statement, saying it keeps with the school's practice of meeting the full financial need of each of its students for all four years.

Bowdoin College, located in Brunswick, Maine, has about 1,800 students.

The average price of regular gasoline nationwide has dropped another 25 cents a gallon in the past two weeks, to $2.47.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday that prices will likely keep falling.

Lundberg says the average price of regular gasoline is the lowest it's been in more than five years. She says lower crude oil prices are driving prices down, along with an abundant oil supply and the rising value of the U.S. dollar.

The highest-priced gas in the Lower 48 states was found in Long Island, New York, at $2.82 a gallon. The lowest was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at $2.06 a gallon.

California's lowest average was in Sacramento, at $2.58 a gallon.

The average price for midgrade gas in the U.S. is $2.71. For premium it's $2.87.
 

Two San Diego men are behind bars after being involved in a shooting with Murrieta police.

Duane Bowen, 51, of Chula Vista faces charges of robbery, conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon and felony evading. Thomas Ferguson, 30, of La Mesa faces an armed robbery charge.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the ordeal started as a bank robbery Friday at First Citizens Bank in the 41500 block of Ivy Street in Murrieta. Murrieta police officers spotted the robbery suspects’ vehicle and chased them into Temecula, sheriff’s officials said.

The pursuit ended in the 43500 block of Ridge Park Drive in Temecula. Spike strips slowed down the suspects. But before stopping, officials say Bowen intentionally rammed into a patrol car, injuring a Murrieta police detective.

Sheriff’s officials say Bowen got out of the car and was shot by a Murrieta police officer. He was treated on-scene for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and taken a Riverside County Medical Detention Care Facility.

Ferguson was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

Officials have not released the name of the officer who fired the gun. That officer has been put on administrative leave, which is department policy.

The sheriff’s department said the detective in the patrol car was treated at the hospital
 

Military families will be getting into the Christmas spirit Monday in Horton Plaza as they skate on the ice rink for free.

Families part of the Support The Enlisted Project will be skating for free on the rink in the plaza from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. Lower enlisted personnel, from E-1s to E-6s, and their families can also come skate for free all day until 10 p.m.

STEP said it expected approximately 40 people to come to the event. Sentre Partners, a sponsor of the event, has donated ice time and skates for the families.

The Weathers family was named STEP's family of the month. Dulce's husband was deployed for the seventh time in 15 years and the family will be celebrating Christmas on Skype while he's on the USS Cape Saint George.

STEP supports lower-ranking military members and their families that make the least and are struggling to make ends meet.
 

A North County teen is getting national attention for advocating the protection of marine life.

Over the past four years, Zach Affolter has produced videos focusing on the concerns of marine animals.

The 17-year-old Powegian has even taken on SeaWorld, petitioning to keep school events away from the theme park.

Now PETA's taken notice awarding him a Libby Award as in Animal Liberation. He was named in the category “Star Street Teamer of the Year.”

For their part, SeaWorld says, "There is no organization more passionately committed to the physical, mental, social care and well-being of all of animals than SeaWorld."

Next month Affolter is planning to go to Miami where he's leading a protest to free an orca from captivity at a theme park there.

"I'd like a world where they're safe where there's no pollution where they have plenty of food and made not to perform for entertainment," he said.

PETA selects its winners based on how many votes are received in an online contest as well as the organization’s assessment of the person’s “demonstrated enthusiasm about being animal-friendly.”
Affolter receives a certificate and bragging rights, the organization said.
 

BMW has agreed to demands from the government to replace driver's-side air bags across the entire U.S.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been pushing companies to recall older cars with air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. They can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers. At least five deaths have been blamed on Takata inflators.

The decision affects 140,000 BMW 3 Series cars made between January 2004 and August 2006. It says no problems with BMW vehicles have been reported. Earlier this year the company took about 574,000 cars off the market in the U.S.

To find out if your car is part of the recall, click here.

Several automakers have been slow to expand the recall. Ford Motor Co. joined the list last week, and was quickly followed by Chrysler.

BMW is the last automaker to agree to replace air bags in all affected cars nationwide. About 15 million cars have been recalled in the U.S. in total. Initial recalls were limited to states with high levels of humidity, as the NHTSA says the air bag inflator propellant, ammonium nitrate, can burn faster than designed if exposed to prolonged airborne moisture. When that happens, the propellant can blow apart a metal canister meant to contain the explosion.

Takata has refused the agency's request for a nationwide recall of driver's side inflators, about 8 million in total, and it says it has tested more than 1,000 air bag inflators from other regions without a single failure. But the company will still make replacement parts for the automakers that are expanding their recalls. It hasn't been decided whether Takata or the automakers will pay the extra costs involved.

In total, 10 automakers have models with Takata driver and passenger air bags. There could be as many as 30 million with the air bags nationwide.

A meteorologist shot outside a Waco-area TV station last week spoke to the media Monday afternoon at Baylor Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, where he continues to recover.

Patrick Crawford, the morning meteorologist for KCEN-TV, said he is “slowly getting better” after the Dec. 17 shooting.

“My main focus is just to get better, to get healthy and to get home for me and my family,” he said.

Crawford said he did not know his attacker and there was "no interaction" before the shooting. Buthe said he hopes that the description he provided to police will help them track him down.

“The man that shot me didn’t say any words to me,” he said. “There wasn’t any interaction.”

Crawford was shot in the abdomen and arm in the station's parking lot. He underwent surgery at Scott & White Memorial Hospital, and a surgeon who appeared with Crawford at Monday's press conference said he has been an "ideal patient" and is "doing very well."

No arrests have been made in the shooting, and Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper D.L. Wilson said Saturday that they have no credible leads on the gunman or a motive in the shooting.

The Falls County Crime Stoppers is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 254-883-3104.

The law enforcement tip line is 1-800-863-8558.

A vehicle in motion crashed into a parked car and pushed it firmly into a house Monday morning in 4S Ranch, officials said.

Shortly after 5 a.m., the California Highway Patrol said the driver of the car in motion hit a parked car on Palomino Mesa Road.

The driver was allegedly driving under the influence, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.

There is no word yet on the extent of damage to the house.

Police said no arrests were made and no one suffered any injuries.
 

Two people are in the hospital after a car crashed into multiple fences and landed upside down on the sidewalk in Oceanside, police said.

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. Sunday, police said a man was heading eastbound on North Avenue when his silver SUV smashed through a backyard fence near North and Temple Heights Drive.

The impact was enough to throw a concrete post near the sidewalk across the yard.

A man was taken by air to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla with major injuries. The passenger also suffered major injuries.

Police said speed and alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

Residents in the area said speeding was an issue on the road.

“The worst fear is that the fence isn’t going to stop it,” said neighborhood resident Mary Beth Patrick. “Something big is going to come tearing through there and it’s just not going to stop it.”

The identity of the driver is not being released at this time, police said.

New electric vehicle charging stations opened Monday at the Waterfront Park, the first of several  upcoming charge stations at government parking facilities.

The county celebrated the grand opening of the new stations at the Waterfront Park’s underground parking garage along the Pacific Highway.

Several stations are located along the southwest wall and one station is located on the southeast side.

The stations came to be after the county won a $500,000 grant from the California Energy Commission to pave the way for the installation of the charging stations. They were installed by ChargePoint and will be operated by them for the next five years.

The stations are the first in a project that plans to expand the stations to 10 other government parking facilities across the county. All stations are scheduled to open by December 2015.

The week of Dec. 22, electric vehicles can plug in and charge for free as part of the station's opening week. 

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in finding a second suspect in the burglary of a car dealership in Fallbrook Sunday night.

The burglary happened at the US Auto Market on South Mission Road. When officers arrived, two suspects took off and were chased on foot. Deputies caught up to one of the suspects, Raul Eduardo Rios, 19, but the second person got away, authorities said.

Deputies said it appeared the two forced their way into the dealership's business office and moved a safe close to the lobby door. The safe wasn't opened and nothing else appeared to be taken, they said.

At this time, no description is available, but Fallbrook detectives are looking into leads regarding the person's identity.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Department non-emergency line at (858) 565-5200 or by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Up to $1,000 is awarded for any information leading to an arrest. You can remain anonymous.