Pepper spray and a rugged hillside climb didn't stop a courageous police K-9 who helped bust members of a suspected burglary ring in the foothills east of Los Angeles.

Belgian Malinois Bo gave chase after four burglars caught in the act by a neighbor ran from the scene in Glendora just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, a police department spokesman said. Two subjects were arrested just after officers responded to the neighbor's report, but two other burglars ran up a nearby hillside.

That's when officers set up a perimeter and 3-year-old rookie K-9 officer Bo faced his first real-world law enforcement test. One of the subjects used pepper spray on Bo, but the irritant failed to stop the intrepid police dog.

"Bo did exactly what he was supposed to do," said Officer Scott Salvage, Bo's handler. "He chased one of the suspects up the hill, attempted to capture that suspect, the suspect attempted to pepper spray my dog. The dog fought through it."

The man then threw the dog down a ravine, but Bo landed on his feet and continued the chase.

"He recovered, went back up and took him into custody," said Salvage, who served the dog a pound of filet mignon as a reward.

Eventually, the suspects were caught and escorted out of their hiding place, which police said was deep in poison oak. Accomplices in getaway cars sounded their horns to alert the suspects, and officers ended up arresting them, too.

"The driver was repeatedly hitting the horn, trying to alert the suspects hiding," said It also alerted us, and we appreciated the assistance," said Glendora Police Chief Tim Staab.

Officers matched the burglars cellphone numbers with those of the getaway crews.

Investigators believe the suspects, eight were arrested, are a part of a ring operating out of Los Angeles.

NBC4's Vanessa Ruiz and Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.

Looks like sweet dreams really do come true: California’s first-ever Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins drive-thru restaurant is opening next week in San Diego’s Ramona community.

The hybrid eatery – located at 1410 Main St. – officially opens at 4:30 a.m. on April 7 and will offer various giveaways during its grand opening celebration. This includes a free medium hot or iced coffee to patrons on opening day, plus sweet samples. The first 100 customers to order will receive a Dunkin’ Donuts tote bag filled with special swag.

But here’s the best buzz: the first person in both the walk-in and drive-thru lines will be awarded free coffee for an entire year.

The opening day party will also include photo opportunities with Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins mascots, “Cuppy” and “Coney,” respectively.

The menu at the new Ramona restaurant will include iconic brand items like freshly-ground coffee, baked goods and ice cream. The eatery is owned by Southern California resident Mike Stout, who plans to possibly develop other standalone Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in San Diego County.

“We’re proud to open the very first Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins combo drive-thru location in the state,” said Stout in a media release Wednesday.

“We’ve witnessed a lot of buzz surrounding Dunkin’ Donuts’ expansion to the West Coast and are honored to bring the residents of Ramona a whole new experience for California with Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins together,” he added.

Dunkin’ Donuts was founded in 1950 and has more than 11,300 restaurants in 36 countries worldwide. Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 and operates more than 7,500 retails shops in nearly 50 countries. Over the years, Baskin-Robbins has rolled out more than 1,200 ice cream flavors and other treats.

San Diego is home to three other Dunkin’ Donuts locations: one in the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in Oceanside, the second at Naval Base Medical Center San Diego, and the third at Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown in downtown San Diego.

A Canadian diplomat's 15-year-old son -- already charged with murder in a deadly shootout with drug dealers police say he and his brother were trying to rob -- now faces new charges, after police say he threatened to shoot a detective in the head while in custody.

But the boy's father has said his younger son didn't kill anyone and was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time, looking out for his older brother.

The younger teen is in custody and his 17-year-old brother was killed in a shootout when police say the pair -- both sons of Roxanne Dube, a prominent Canadian diplomat working in Miami -- tried to rob the drug dealers in a deal gone wrong. Another man is also charged.

The brothers' father, Germano Wabafiyebazu, told Canada's Global News that he was stunned by his older son's death and defended his younger son, who he said fired shots only to alert police.

"You can’t believe. You can’t believe. Terrible. You can’t believe that happened, but what can I do?" Wabafiyebazu said in an interview that aired Wednesday on NBC 6.

The older son was killed in the Monday shootout following a drug deal gone wrong, police say. Another 17-year-old named Joshua Wright was also killed, that teen's family confirmed. The Canadian government is working with Miami police to investigate.

Police believe Dube's and Wabafiyebazu's sons had been planning to rob the drug dealers, as NBC 6 first reported. The pair showed up to the drug deal in a Canadian government vehicle with official consular plates, multiple law enforcement sources told NBC 6.

The shooting began after the older Dube son went into Wright's apartment, one law enforcement source said. The younger brother had stayed in the car outside to act as a lookout, sources said.

Wabafiyebazu told Global News that after his younger son heard the gunshots, he rushed into the house to find his older brother dead, then began shooting in the air, drawing police to the scene and leading to his own arrest.

The older teen had been getting into trouble recently, Wabafiyebazu said, and appeared to have developed a problem with marijuana.

He said he had worried about what might happen when his children moved with his ex-wife to Miami, and about what kinds of friends his older son might make there.

"I would lie to you if I didn’t notice or expect it, that something like that would happen to him," the teens' father said, adding that he had not had any such worries about his younger son.

One of the accused drug dealers in Monday's shootout was also arrested and charged with felony murder.

Anthony Rodriguez, 19, who had been wounded and driven away, was caught and charged with felony murder and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Rodriguez had been arrested back in February on gun and drug charges, after police said they found a loaded stolen gun, drugs and $4,000 in cash in his car at a gas station. The charges against him were dropped.

For the first time in state history, cities and towns across California must implement mandatory restrictions to reduce water use during the fourth consecutive year of drought under an executive order announced Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The unprecedented move follows the lowest snowpack ever recorded. Snowpack in the Sierra mountain range melts during spring and provides water for an estimated 25 million Californians.

"Today we are standing on dry grass where there should be five feet of snow. This historic drought demands unprecedented action," Brown said Wednesday. "Therefore, I’m issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state. As Californians, we must pull together and save water in every way possible."

Mandatory water reductions will be put in place by the State Water Resources Control Board across California to reduce water usage by 25 percent -- a saving that will amount to about 1.5 million acre-feet of water over the next nine months, according to Brown's office.

The drought's effects are rippling across the state, hurting wildlife and forcing farmers to leave fields unplanted. So far this winter, wildfires are burning through nearly four times as many acres as usual.

Brown's order announced Wednesday will:

• Replace 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with drought tolerant landscaping in partnership with local governments;
• Direct the creation of a temporary, statewide consumer rebate program to replace old appliances with more water and energy efficient models;
• Require campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to make significant cuts in water use; and
• Prohibit new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless water-efficient drip irrigation systems are used, and ban watering of ornamental grass on public street medians.

Water restrictions approved earlier this month banned restaurants from offering water unless customers ask and forced hotels and motels to offer guests a chance to deline fresh towels and sheets.

Those restrictions will require local water departments to cut back the number of days residents can water their lawns. If they don't, residents must follow a state rule limiting their sprinkling to twice a week. Homeowners are also barred from using sprinklers on days when it rains and for the next two days after.

Agricultural water users will now be required to report more water use information to state regulations.

Additional actions required by the order announced Wednesday include:

• Taking action against water agencies in depleted groundwater basins that have not shared data on their groundwater supplies with the state;
• Updating standards for toilets and faucets and outdoor landscaping in residential communities and taking action against communities that ignore these standards; and
• Making permanent monthly reporting of water usage, conservation and enforcement actions by local water suppliers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Two labs using a new, rare method to make hash oil were raided Wednesday, ending a six-month investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.

DEA agents served search warrants to four suites at a Poway business park, located at 13514 Pomerado Road, as well as another Vista address.

At both locations, they discovered hash oil laboratories that use carbon dioxide instead of the typical butane — something the DEA rarely sees, according to the agency's spokeswoman Amy Roderick.

The high-tech equipment is very expensive, but it can make huge quantities of hash oil. Though carbon dioxide is not flammable like butane, it still makes the process dangerous, Roderick said.

The agents seized a large amount of marijuana from the Poway location, but no arrests have been made.

The "business" on Pomerado Road was closed and appeared to be a front, said Roderick, used only for hash oil extraction.

SeaWorld San Diego is getting creative to make sure California’s precious freshwater doesn’t just go down the drain.

The park announced Tuesday it has included a saltwater flushing system in its newest restroom. With it, officials expect to save about 1.3 million gallons of freshwater a year.

The premise uses a big circle of ocean water. The bathroom plumbing pulls from Mission Bay – a move allowed under SeaWorld’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, the park says.

The system filters the water before it gets in the toilet, and after use, it heads into the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Once again, the water is treated and filtered. It then flows back into the ocean.

SeaWorld will bring out their ceremonial scissors for a toilet-paper cutting Wednesday as they open the saltwater restrooms for use.

Officials say this is the park’s latest effort to save amid California’s drought. Other additions include drought-tolerant plants, low-flow irrigation nozzles and controllers and a water-saving concrete cleaner.
 

A former EMT with San Diego Rural Metro admitted to having sex with a minor under 16 according to a plea agreement reached Wednesday.

Zachary Stinchcomb, 23, of La Mesa pleaded guilty to one felony count in connection with a relationship he developed with a 15-year-old girl.

The two met around November 2014 on the website meetme.com and communicated via KIK, police said. Investigators say the girl was told Stinchcomb was 17 years old at the time.

After several months the girl ended the relationship, prosecutors said. The girl has not been identified by authorities due to her age.

Prosecutors allege the relationship between Stinchcomb and the teenager led to an incident on January 22 in which the girl accused Stinchcomb of holding her at knifepoint after he picked her up before school.

The teen girl said he demanded she remove clothing and then used the knife to cut off the girl’s underwear, according to a search warrant affidavit filed with the court.

According to the warrant documents, the defendant allegedly drove past the school, arrived to a park where he parked the car.

He was arrested and initially booked under two charges.

Under the plea agreement Stinchcomb faces up to four years behind bars and a $10,000 fine. He will also have to register as a sex offender.

Rural Metro told NBC 7 Stinchcomb is no longer an employee of the company.

A San Diego city councilmember called for voter approval of any stadium plan Wednesday as he unveiled his suggestion on what a new NFL stadium could look like in Mission Valley.

An artist’s rendering shows a possible new look for the property that lies between Friars Road and the transit line west of Interstate 15 where the current Qualcomm Stadium stands.

The image suggests residential, commercial and retail spots added to land that currently houses just The Q and a parking lot.

A Citizen Stadium Advisory Committee put together by Mayor Kevin Faulconer has already chosen the current site in Mission Valley as the best location for a new stadium.

The San Diego Chargers, who have announced they are considering building a joint-use stadium with the Oakland Raiders in Los Angeles, have said they prefer a downtown stadium.

The advisory committee said they will release a financing plan sometime in May.

San Diego city councilmembers Scott Sherman and Chris Cate along with members of the San Diego River Park Foundation presented their suggestions for how to use the Mission Valley property.

Sherman said the recommendations were pulled together by his staff after several town hall meetings with constituents.

He said his team has submitted the following recommendations to the advisory group:

• There should be no cost to the general fund
• There should be an iron-clad commitment for the Chargers to stay for the duration of any bond
• A 20-acre park should be included in any proposal
• Planners should consider future traffic issues in the area
• Voters need to approve the plan
• Any proposal must include the River Park Master Plan
• The Chargers should pay market-rate rent for use of the land

Sherman said he has a financing plan that he would submit to the committee for consideration. Read the details of his financial plan here.

Just last week, the City of San Diego and San Diego County officials decided to team up to look at stadium options and split the costs to develop that plan.

Oceanside police are investigating a shooting that left one person dead and another hospitalized Wednesday.

The incident happened in the 4200 block of Vista del Rio Way.

When officers arrived, they found one person was killed. A second was taken to the hospital.

Check back for details on this breaking news story.

A former SeaWorld trainer caught on camera five years ago saying the N-word has called his actions stupid, saying: “I’m definitely not a racist.”

The back-and-forth battle between ex-trainer John Hargrove -- who recently published a book critical of the park’s practices -- and SeaWorld came to a head with the park sharing the inflammatory video with reporters.

In the video, Hargrove is seen drunkenly talking on the phone with a woman who claims she was assaulted by a group of black men. Hargrove is heard repeatedly referring to the men using the derogatory term.

On Tuesday, La Jolla bookstore Warwick’s announced it was canceling a book signing with Hargrove in response to the video.

The former trainer, who once worked at SeaWorld San Diego, was featured in the documentary “Blackfish,” which took a critical view of the park’s treatment of killer whales in captivity. He released a book last month called, “Beneath the Surface,” scrutinizing the park's practices.

In response on Wednesday, Hargrove gave a lengthy phone interview with KPBS in which he calls the video embarrassing and not a reflection of his character.

“Certainly it’s offensive language and it should never have been used,” Hargrove said in the interview. “If we could all go back in time and change the stupid things we did and said when we drink.”

“I hope it doesn’t discredit me and I don’t think it will,” he added.

Hargrove went on to call SeaWorld’s leaking of the video a “smear campaign.”

“What’s more shocking is that SeaWorld would then push that video out to media outlets when it has nothing to do with my book, the content of my book, my career as a trainer – it was just a smear campaign,” he said.

In a statement, SeaWorld said: “As we have said all along, ‘Blackfish’ star John Hargrove repeatedly provided statements that were misleading, false or in conflict with statements he made previously. As someone who might report on Hargrove and his book, we believe it is important you see this video we received from an internal whistleblower.”

Hargrove told KPBS that he rarely drinks now.

"That night when I used (the N-word) and was heavily intoxicated I thought I was being funny at the time," he said. "Clearly it’s not funny, it’s obnoxious and you should not use that word."
 

San Diegans may not immediately know the full impact of Wednesday's unprecedented, mandatory water reductions as local officials try to find ways to meet the restrictions.

For the first time in state history, cities and towns across California will have to cut their water use by 25 percent, a goal set by Gov. Jerry Brown during the drought's fourth consecutive year.

The San Diego County Water Authority said the agency is still looking through the specifics of the reductions, trying to figure out just what measures will need to be put in place in San Diego to meet the goal. 

"While we are still reviewing the details of this morning’s executive order, we support the governor’s leadership and will do everything possible to help our region comply with the mandates," said Water Authority spokesman Mike Lee. 

Because the measure is new, Lee was unsure how specifically it would change water usage for San Diegans. Lee did say, however, that they would likely have to add new restrictions onto existing protocols already in place.

“The takeaway is we all have to do more,” Lee said. “It's an extremely unprecedented situation. San Diegans have stepped up with water conservation in the past, and we need to take another step forward as a community to do our part as the state does its part."

Details on how the executive order will affect residents will come in the next two to three weeks, when the city and county will have specifics on future water restrictions. The Water Authority Board will meet in three weeks, when they will decide on exact measures.

The district has never had to cut water usage by 25 percent, they said, so they don’t know what other measures will be necessary beyond stricter enforcement at the moment.

Rancho Santa Fe has one of the highest daily residential water uses on average in the county. The Santa Fe Water District, which represents Rancho Santa Fe, said Wednesday the some of the coming change would likely be better enforcement of current restrictions.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer said Wednesday he would announce in the coming days additional steps the city would be taking. 

"While it’s likely that water allocations will be passed on to San Diego from our water suppliers in the near future, we cannot wait to cut our water usage," Faulconer said, adding that San Diegans would follow the city's mandatory drought alert regulations. 

Brown's announcement comes as the Sierra Nevada snowpack, a source of water for 25 million Californians, recorded its lowest-ever snowpack. 

The State Water Resources Control Board will implement the reductions, a move that will amount to approximately 1.5 million acre-feet of water saved over the next nine months, according to Brown's office. 

Brown's order will:

• Replace 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with drought tolerant landscaping in partnership with local governments
• Direct the creation of a temporary, statewide consumer rebate program to replace old appliances with more water and energy efficient models
• Require campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to make significant cuts in water use
• Prohibit new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless water-efficient drip irrigation systems are used, and ban watering of ornamental grass on public street medians.

You can find ways to conserve water by clicking here. 

The tables have turned on an Indiana pizzeria after the business owners said they will be exercising their rights of denying service to same-sex couples in light of the new “Religious Freedom” bill.

Crystal O'Connor of Memories Pizza in Walkerton, about 20 miles southwest of South Bend, told a local TV station Tuesday that their restaurant would say no if a gay couple asked them to cater their wedding – because they flat out don’t agree with same-sex marriage.

“We are a Christian establishment,” O’Connor told WBND-TV. “We're not discriminating against anyone, that's just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything.”

She says her family “definitely” agrees with Indiana's new widely-protested "Religious Freedom" law which allows business owners the right to refuse service to those they believe to be a "burden" to his or her religious beliefs.

“That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?” Crystal’s father Kevin O'Connor told the outlet.

After their comments went public, hundreds of potential patrons flocked to the pizzeria’s Yelp page and poured it with negative reviews and poor ratings – ruining the reputation the family had worked for in the nine years since its opening.

Kevin O’Connor told NBC News the backlash has been a surprise to him “to say the least.”

"I really don't want to push it any further,” he said, mentioning he was considering closing the business.

But some of their customers stand behind them, and are refusing to let Memories go down without a fight.

Lawrence Billy Jones III, who works as a contributor for conservative radio station The Blaze, created an online fundraising campaign for the restaurant.

“It’s about supporting this family, it’s about supporting freedom,” Jones told NBC News.

"We had no idea that in two hours we were going to be able to raise $20,000 but, lo and behold, it's happening," he said. "It gives me hope when I see people outpouring their support."

As of Wednesday evening nearly 900 contributors had donated to support Memories Pizza, raising more than $33,000.

Indiana lawmakers on Thursday morning announced changes Gov. Mike Pence had promised were coming to clarify the state's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

"What was intended as a message of inclusion was interpreted as exclusion," House Speaker Brian Bosma said of the law at a morning press conference. 

He said the new measure clearly states that discrimination against any class of citizens is not tolerated in the Hoosier state.

The new bill with the updated language can be found here.

Gays and lesbians are not a protected class under Indiana’s civil rights laws, and critics of the law Pence signed last week allege it could provide some businesses the opportunity to refuse providing services or selling goods to some people based on religious grounds.

The Republican governor on Tuesday said he found that claim "offensive," and called upon the state's General Assembly to send him legislation to clarify the law's intent.

The new agreement, first reported by the Indianapolis Star, comes as the clock ticks toward legislators' Easter recess, which begins Friday, and the weekend's NCAA basketball games.

"For the first time ever the words sexual identity and gender identity will appear in Indiana statute," said former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson.

Bosma, Pence, Senate President Pro Tem David Long, other legislative leaders and business executives have met behind closed doors for hours working on an agreement on how to clarify the law.

"Hoosier Hospitality had to be restored," said Bosma.

SANTA CRUZ - As California leaders look for a solution to the state’s severe drought, the governor may want to look to Santa Cruz for solutions. Governor Brown announced a plan for 25 percent water restrictions statewide Wednesday, but it’s something Santa Cruz accomplished last year.

People in the city are considered leaders in limiting water use. Rich Carmona stopped watering his lawn last year and proudly displays a sign that reads Doing Our Part to Save Water.

"Just so people know that our lawn's dead, for the most part,” he joked.

Down the street, Linda Kennedy just replaced her lawn with a drought-friendly landscape yesterday.

“Hopefully in two years I won't be using any water out here,” Kennedy said.

These neighbors are part of a city used to cutting back.

"People know when it doesn't rain here, we don't have water, and it hasn't been raining here,” said Santa Cruz Water Department Community Relations Specialist Eileen Cross.

Cross says most of the city’s water comes from runoff in the Santa Cruz Mountains which supplies nearby reservoirs.

"The state is asking for a 25 percent reduction from 2013. And we accomplished that in 2014,” she said.

To do that, Santa Cruz offered rebates to replace lawns.

They also imposed mandatory water rationing of 15-25 percent. For water wasters, they held water school. It was a one-time class customers could attend to learn what they did wrong and how to fix it. They also learned where the city’s water comes from and other aspects of the drought. If the water customers attended and passed a test, their hefty fines were reduced. The classes will continue this summer.

“There were quite a few people who came in not knowing or not knowing what the restrictions were about and when they left they did,” Cross said of the class.

Others like Linda Kennedy stayed within their water limits by putting a bucket in the shower.

“I catch the cold water until the tap goes hot, and then I put that on the plants as well,” Kennedy explained.

Many of Rich Carmona's neighbors also let their lawns go brown. He says here, conserving is a way of life. Now they hope the rest of California will join in.

“The water's not there so I don't think we have much of a choice at this point, so I think it's a step in the right direction,” Carmona said.

Santa Cruz doesn't have any mandatory water rationing right now, but that's expected to change when the water department submits its recommendations to the city council on April 14th.

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce announced that it has been awarded 3-Star Accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures and positive impact on the community.

According to the San Diego Regional Chamber, this accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in its operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, and technology.

“We work hard to be our region’s leading advocate on critical business issues that help make San Diego a place where businesses can succeed and grow,” said Jerry Sanders, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber. “This accreditation — which puts us among the top 3 percent of chambers nationwide — further supports the work we are doing and is truly an honor.”

The San Diego Regional Chamber is a hub for connections and collaboration among the regional business community, and uses its clout to advocate for public policies and candidates that support economic growth and the creation of jobs, the chamber said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation, representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
 

An arrest has been made in the attempted kidnapping of a child from a Solana Beach school yard last week.

In an unexpected development, the man suspected of trying to abduct a 7-year-old girl from Skyline Elementary School decided to surrender to deputies, his attorney told NBC 7 Wednesday.

The suspect had agreed to turn himself into the San Diego County Sheriff's Department through attorney Paul Pfingst. 

Deputies confirmed the arrest early Thursday, announcing that 22-year-old Jack Henry Doshay of Fairbanks Ranch was in custody. 

On March 23, the suspect walked onto the campus not long after the dismissal bell rang and confronted the young student as she walked to her after-school program, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The girl's father says the "reckless and crazy" man tried to silence her by wrapping tape around her face and started to carry her off.

However, the 7-year-old kicked and screamed, drawing the attention of staff and parents nearby. They chased the man but could not catch him before he drove away.

The community has been on high-alert since the incident, which prompted the Solana Beach School District to hold safety assemblies at each of its schools.

The victim's father sent out a mass email, warning fellow parents to teach their children to fight as his daughter did.

“Yell, scream, draw as much attention as you can,” he said in the chilling email. “This is what saved our daughter.”

The sheriff's department released a composite sketch of the suspect two days later.

Two women accused of plotting to plant bombs in the United States, one of whom allegedly called Osama bin Laden her hero and praised the World Trade Center attacks, were arrested on terror charges in Queens by the Joint Terrorism Task Force early Thursday, federal officials familiar with the investigation tell NBC 4 New York.

The women, identified in court papers as 28-year-old Noelle Velentzas and 31-year-old Asia Siddiqui, are accused of conspiring to detonate an explosive device somewhere within the United States. The two suspects allegedly discussed possible targets online but there was no specific terror plot and no active explosive device, one official familiar with the case said. The women were alleged to have met with undercover officer posing as a would-be jihadist on many occasions since 2014.

Investigators allege Siddiqui was in possession of multiple propane tanks, as well as instructions for how to transform those tanks into explosive devices, at the time of her arrest, according to a criminal complaint. Less than two weeks ago, Velentzas, asked whether she had heard the news about the recent arrest of a former U.S. airman from New Jersey who tried to travel to Syria to join ISIS, said she didn't understand why people were traveling overseas to engage in jihad when there were more opportunities of "pleasing Allah" in the U.S, according to the complaint.

Both women, U.S. citizens who were until recently roommates in a Queens apartment, appeared in Brooklyn federal court later Thursday. Siddiqui's attorney, Thomas Dunn, said earlier his client planned to plead not guilty.

"I know it's a serious case, but we're going to fight it out in court," he said. 

Neither suspect had a bail package to present Thursday. Shawn Maher, the attorney for Velentzas, has requested medical treatment in prison for his client. 

Siddiqui has repeatedly contacted members of al-Qaida overseas to offer her support, the complaint alleges. She also sent a letter of support to Mohammed Mohamud, the man arrested in November 2010 after trying to blow up a Christmas-tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon; the return address was linked to York College in Jamaica.

In 2006, Siddiqui allegedly became close with Samir Khan, who later moved to Yemen, became the editor of the propagandist magazine Inspire and moved up the ranks of the terror group on the Arabian Peninsula. In 2009, Siddiqui wrote a poem published in Jihad Recollections, Inspire's predecessor, that called for readers to engage in violent jihad and destroy enemies of Islam, court papers allege.

According to the complaint, she wrote that she "drop[s] bombs" as she swings on a hammock, "taste[s] the Truth through fists and slit throats" and that there is "[n]o excuse to sit back and wait -- for the skies to rain martyrdom."

Khan was killed in Yemen about three weeks after the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, having published articles outlining his grievances against the United States, championing himself as a "traitor" and detailing the challenges of suicide bombing, Kahn published bomb-making manuals, including an article titled "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom."

When federal investigators interviewed Siddiqui at LaGuardia Airport in July, she denied having any contact with Khan or other terrorists or terror networks. She also denied contributing to or having been published in any jihadist magazines.

Velentzas allegedly praised the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and told the undercover officer that being a martyr through a suicide attack guarantees entrance into heaven. According to the complaint, Velentzas showed the officer her phone, which included a background picture of bin Laden holding an AK-47, and called the infamous terrorist and his mentor, Abdullah Azzam, her heroes, the complaint says.

Siddiqui told the undercover agent Velentzas "has been obsessed" with pressure cookers since the 2013 terror attack at the Boston Marathon, according to the complaint. Velentzas told the agent she had recently gotten a pressure cooker as a present.

"You can fit a lot of things in [the pressure cooker], even if it's not food," Velentzas told the agent, apparently referencing explosive materials, according to the complaint.

In June, Velentzas allegedly told the undercover agent she and Siddiqui needed to learn how to take someone's weapon from them and fight multiple people at once.

According to the complaint, she told the agent, "If we get arrested, the police will point their guns at us from the back and maybe from the front. If we can get even one of their weapons, we can shoot them. They will probably kill us but we will be martyrs automatically and receive Allah's blessing."

In recorded conversations between Velentzas, Siddiqui and the undercover agent, the women talked about learning "science" in order to build a bomb, the complaint says. Velentzas allegedly told the other two to deny being good at science if they were ever asked about it, because that could tip off investigators to their plans. She warned about other ways they could get caught, and complained that one man who was allegedly planning to attack Manhattan's Herald Square subway station was caught because he scouted out the location.

Velentzas asked the agent why an individual would attack the subway station. When the agent replied, "Because there's a lot of people," Velentzas said, "Yeah, but just regular people," the complaint says. Court documents say the agent believed that statement indicated she would prefer to attack military or government targets rather than civilians.

The women also looked into chemistry beginner books at a public library and talked about using communications like pre-paid phones that would not be traced back to them. Siddiqui took a course on electricity and met with Velentzas and the undercover agent in a park in September to talk about how they could use wires to cause an explosion remotely, the complaint says. They also discussed how to make homemade grenades, pipe bombs and pressure cooker bombs.

In that same meeting, Velentzas said they needed to learn the science behind bomb-building to avoid being like Faisal Shahzad, the man who drove an SUV full of explosives into Times Square on a warm Saturday night in May 2010. He wasn't able to detonate the bombs. Shahzad later pleaded guilty to a 10-count indictment and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

Siddiqui recently told the undercover agent she didn't want to talk to the officer about her progress in learning how to build a bomb, according to the criminal complaint, though it wasn't clear if that expedited Thursday's arrests.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton condemned the suspects' alleged "sustained efforts" to obtain bomb-making materials and instructions and applauded the multi-agency team that brought them in, calling the squad a "model for early detection and prevention of terrorist plotting."

"The defendants allegedly plotted to wreak terror by creating explosive devices and even researching the pressure cooker bombs used during the Boston Marathon bombing,” said Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez.

"We remain firm in our resolve to hold accountable anyone who would seek to terrorize the American people, whether by traveling abroad to commit attacks overseas or by plotting here at home," added U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch of the Eastern District of New York.
Both women face life imprisonment if convicted.

The case comes less than two months after three Brooklyn men were arrested for allegedly plotting to join ISIS overseas. Those three men -- Abdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev, 24, Akhror Saidakhmetov, 19, and 30-year-old Abror Habibov, have pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging them with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and travel document fraud.

Juraboev and Saidakhmetov allegedly planned to travel to Syria through Turkey, and Habibov allegedly funded the operation.

According to court documents, Juraboev first came to the attention of law enforcement in August, when he posted on an Uzbek-language website that propagates ISIS ideology. His plans included attacks against President Obama or planting a bomb on Coney Island, officials said. Another suspect discussed shooting FBI agents and police officers, the indictment alleged.

It wasn't immediately clear if authorities believed there to be a connection between the arrest of the Brooklyn men in late February and the arrest of the women Thursday.  

Both women are expected to next appear in court May 4. 

A San Diego man charged in the thrill killing of a developmentally disabled victim as he rode his bike near National City changed his plea to guilty Thursday.

Humberto Galvez, now 22 years old, is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a crime in the fatal April 29, 2011, shooting of Jordan Hickey, 21.

According to prosecutors, Galvez – along with recently-convicted Juan Ignacio Gomez, 24 – shot Hickey just for the thrill of it.

Authorities said the pair were driving around looking for someone to shoot and fired at Hickey from their car as he rode his bike home along Grove Street in the Lincoln Acres area. Hickey died at the scene.

Galvez will be sentenced on April 24 and faces life without parole.

Gomez was convicted last week in the murder. He too faces life in prison without parole at his April 24 sentencing.

Hickey’s mother, Jeannine Hickey, spoke with NBC 7 after Gomez was convicted last week.

"They knew what the consequences were when they went out hunting, and that's what they did," said Jeannine. "They hunted and massacred my son for nothing. So yes, they deserve to stay where they are for the rest of their lives."

Jeannine said though he was 21 years old, Hickey – who was diagnosed with a developmental disability – could not handle the 4th of July because of the loud noises.

"He would scream if a balloon popped, so I can't even imagine the screams that came from my son when the gun was going off," she said.

For nearly a year, no suspects were arrested in the murder as Hickey’s family members and detectives asked for the public’s help in solving the cold case.

In March 2012, both Gomez and Galvez were arrested in Chula Vista in connection with the deadly shooting.

In July 2012, Jeannine came face-to-face in court with the suspects. Overwhelmed with emotion, the mother yelled profanities at Gomez and Galvez as details of the crime were revealed. She had to be escorted out of the courtroom.

Galvez's family had no comment for the media Thursday outside the courtroom. His mother was very emotional, crying during and after court.

Hickey's cousin said the victim's family wants justice after all of these years of suffering.

“We want the family to be okay. This has been a long, trying four years and just really want this to be over," she told NBC 7. "This is for Jordan. It’s in God’s hands."
 

In 2014, more than half of the reported sexual assaults at San Diego State University were at campus fraternities, according to documents newly obtained by NBC 7.

The documents detail seven assaults last year and specifically name three fraternities: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Delta Sigma Phi and Alpha Epsilon Pi.

According to the reports:

• Three occurred at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
• One occurred at 5000 College Place.
• One was reported on Fraternity Row at 5255 55th Street.
• One occurred at the fraternity Delta Sigma Phi located at 5560 Hardy Avenue
• One was reported at the fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Of the reported incidents at Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one was rape of a drugged or intoxicated victim reported on August 29, 2014. In that case, the victim declined to prosecute.The second incident at that fraternity was a reported rape by force or fear and was reported on September 22, 2014. There were no findings listed on the police report. The third incident was a case of mandatory reporting and was reported on October 25, 2014. It is listed as a closed incident.

The reported incident at Delta Sigma Phi was rape of a drugged or intoxicated victim, reported on November 23, 2014. The victim declined to prosecute, according to the report.

At Alpha Epsilon Pi, the one reported incident was oral copulation of an intoxicated victim. It was reported December 6, 2014. In addition to mandatory reporting, the report did not list any findings. 

Two reported assaults occurred at unnamed fraternities.

The reported assault at 5000 College Place was rape of a drugged or intoxicated victim. It was reported on November 6, 2014. No findings were listed on the report. The second reported assault occurred at an unnamed fraternity house located at 5255 55th Street. The reported incident was oral copulation of an intoxicated victim, reported on November 23, 2014. The victim declined to prosecute.

In December, the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity at SDSU was temporarily shut down.

The Gamma Alpha was closed “as a result of a consistent pattern of policy violations that includes the harassment of a Take Back the Night March on Friday, November 21, 2014, as well as other significant hazing and alcohol misconduct issues,” SDSU said in a news release.

The fraternity could return to campus after the fall of 2016 if members adhere to new policies laid out by the university and the fraternity’s national office. The university will also investigate individual members for possible Title IX and student code of conduct violations, according to the release.

Last year the SDSU Greek Community announced new sexual assault awareness training for fraternity and sorority members. The new training requires all Greeks to take online courses called "Agents of Change" on sexual violence, attend a week of presentations on the topic and participate in sexual assault prevention events, including Take Back the Night.

The university has also been awarded a $200,000 grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

The grant will provide for a full-time sexual assault victim advocate on campus who will be trained and hired through the Center for Community Solutions. The money will also provide for a part-time police officer dedicated to sexual assault prevention.

In 2014, 13 sexual assaults were reported on campus. Police made an arrest in one case, though the District Attorney’s office later declined to file charges in the case. 

New York City's taxi drivers are demanding an apology from the police officer seen on video apparently verbally abusing an Uber driver in an at-times xenophobic roadside tirade in the West Village earlier this week. They say they hope the altercation spurs better treatment for hacks from the NYPD.

The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers demanded the apology at a news conference Thursday outside the NYPD's lower Manhattan headquarters, less than a day after Police Commissioner Bill Bratton admonished detective Patrick Cherry for his role in the exchange with an Uber driver Monday afternoon.

"No good cop can watch that without a wince," Bratton said Wednesday of the video. "All good cops know that the officer just made their jobs a little bit harder."

Taxi drivers say they don't want Cherry, a member of the NYPD's elite Joint Terrorism Task Force who was re-assigned to modified paid duty, fired if he apologizes. They say they hope that the now viral video can help end widespread mistreatment of hired drivers by NYPD officers.

NYSFTD spokesman Fernando Mateo echoed those sentiments at Thursday's news conference, saying that Cherry "did us all a favor" because the video of him opens up the door to discussing the problem. Mateo also asked for Cherry's job to be spared.

Mateo said a meeting with Bratton on Thursday was productive and that it could lead to the NYPD training officers on how to treat taxi and Uber drivers.

The video Uber passenger Seth Sanjay captured of a police officer, later identified as Cherry, berating the Uber driver has been viewed nearly 2 million times on YouTube. Cherry's badge and gun have been taken away pending the outcome of the investigation by the NYPD and Civilian Complaint Review Board. Seth tweeted Wednesday that he testified before the CCRB.

According to Seth's original YouTube post, his Uber driver honked his car horn at the officer because the officer was trying to park on a Sixth Precinct street in the middle of the afternoon without using any blinkers or hazard lights, and the Uber driver's path to a green light was blocked.

The officer, seen wearing a green tie and blue shirt at points in the passenger video, got out of his unmarked car, which had flashing blue and red lights on the dashboard, and flagged down the Uber driver.

The three-minute video begins as the officer approaches the Uber driver's window and starts yelling at the driver, raising his voice over the Uber driver's muted apologies and efforts to interject.

"Stop it with your mouth, stop it with your, 'For what, sir,'" Cherry is heard saying in the video as he curses. "Stop it with that ... and realize the three vehicle and traffic law violations you committed."

"You understand me? I don't know what [epithet] planet you think you're on right now," the officer yells, making fun of the Uber driver's accent.

The officer then slams the hood of the Uber car and walks away; the Uber driver tries to apologize to his passengers, who tell him it was not his fault and inform him a video of the exchange was recorded. One of the passengers said it appeared the officer was on a "power trip"; the other called the man's behavior "really inappropriate."

The officer returns to the Uber car about 90 seconds after slamming the hood and storming off, the video shows, and continues to curse at and belittle the driver. The driver keeps trying to defuse the situation with respectful apologies. Then the officer goes off on him.

"I don't know where you're coming from or where you think you're appropriate in doing that," the man yells, apparently in reference to the car honk from earlier. "That's not the way it works. How long have you been in this country?"

"Almost how long? Two years?" the officer yells after the driver whispers a response. "I got news for you, and use this lesson: Don't ever do that again. The only reason you're not in handcuffs going to jail and getting summonses in the precinct is because I have things to do."

"That's the only reason that's not happening, because this isn't important enough to me, you're not important enough," he says.

The officer turns toward the passengers in the back seat, asks if they are fares and says something about the Uber driver wasting their days, too. The officer hands the driver some kind of piece of paper that looks like a ticket and leaves as the passenger cellphone video pans to the flashing lights on the dashboard of his vehicle, parked behind the Uber car.