After Donald Trump's Mexico-bashing comments this week, Mexicans are engaging in a little Trump-bashing of their own.

Call it revenge, Mexican style. Artisan Dalton Avalos Ramirez launched a Trump pinata Friday, featuring The Donald's inimitable hairstyle and a big, big mouth.

The papier-mache figure will come in a variety of sizes. The first was on display at the Pinatas Ramirez store in the border city of Reynosa.

Avalos Ramirez said he created it "because of the hatred Trump expressed for the Mexican people."

He said "people want to burn the pinatas, they want to break them. People are angry."

During his presidential campaign kickoff speech Tuesday, Trump accused Mexican immigrants of bringing drugs, crime and rapists to the U.S.

It isn't the first pinata the Ramirez store has made of a controversial figure. Avalos Ramirez said he made Miley Cyrus models after the singer used a Mexican flag against her buttocks prosthesis during a show in 2014.

Previous pinata-worthy figures included Kim Kardashian and Dutch soccer player Arjen Robben, who knocked Mexico out of the 2014 World Cup on a questioned penalty.

Traditionally, children in Mexico use sticks to break open candy-filled pinatas on birthdays and holidays.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office says 45-year-old Santos Laboy of Somerville, Massachusetts, who has a long record and outstanding warrants, was shot dead by a Mass State Trooper after he allegedly threatened police with a knife.

After the incident, the man's body remained under a tent on the Silber footbridge over Storrow Drive which connects the Esplanade to Boston University.

It happened in broad daylight, 2:20 pm Friday, after police say the man threatened and approached the uniformed trooper with a knife, and refused to drop it.

"He went out on Storrow Drive at one point back onto the other side of the Esplanade again and at one point ran up onto the Silber Way footbridge," said Mass State Police Superintendent Tim Alben.

"We saw a shirtless guy running around, left to right, and then it looked like at one point he was going to hop the fence," said Kenny Elas, an eyewitness.

Other eyewitnesses, who didn't want to be identified, say the man did hop a fence.

"He was in the middle of traffic running and he hopped on top of cars and then hopped over the fence."

As for what lead up to the shooting, investigators say BU Police were looking for a man with what they call a lengthy rap sheet and outstanding warrants out of Roxbury District Court.

They say they found him in the Esplanade area, where he's known to frequent, but when they went to confront him, he allegedly ran away.

Boston University police called State Police for backup.

Eventually it was the trooper, coming across the footbridge in the opposite direction, investigators say, who fired the fatal shots when he was threatened with that knife.

Samantha Bourdeaux another eyewitness said:

"I don't know how he got on top of the bridge, it happened really fast, but next thing we know when we looked up there was a cop with his gun drawn and see him get shot like three times," said Samantha Bordeaux.

No police were hurt, but the Trooper was taken to the hospital which is mandatory according to police.

Eleven people, including six San Diego County residents, have been charged with illegally manufacturing and distributing a counterfeit 5-Hour Energy drink that was sold in stores across the U.S.

The defendants include 63-year-old Joseph Shayota of El Cajon; 44-year-old Adriana Shayota of El Cajon; 51-year-old Kevin Attiq of El Cajon; 57-year-old Fadi Attiq of El Cajon; 55-year-old Mario Ramirez of San Diego; and 30-year-old Camilo Ramirez of San Diego.

They are charged with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and conspiracy to introduce misbranded food into interstate commerce.

Federal prosecutors said the case started as a legitimate business venture – the Shayotas made an agreement with the manufacturers of 5-Hour Energy to distribute the product in Mexico and provide Spanish-language labeling.

The Shayotas with the help of others, however, instead allegedly sold it in the United States at a higher price than the intended Mexico product. They repackaged more than 350,000 bottles to sell, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Then, prosecutors said, the defendants moved to creating their own version of the 5-Hour Energy Drink.

“The defendants mixed unregulated ingredients in plastic vats while attempting to mimic the real 5-Hour Energy products,” the news release said.

The group is alleged to have manufactured the counterfeit product at an unsanitary facility using untrained workers.

Between May 2012 and December 2012, the group distributed more than four million bottles of counterfeit 5-Hour Energy into commercial channels throughout the country, the indictment alleges.

Those include local wholesale distributors Dan-Dee Company Inc. of Spring Valley, Tradeway International Inc. of San Diego and Trimexico Inc. of El Centro.

Prosecutors said the group also sold the fake product to stores throughout the country, including 7-Eleven, CVS, Circle K and Chevron. None of the stores are in San Diego County, though a number of them are in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.

“This alleged counterfeit operation was especially egregious as the investigation revealed this product was sold, distributed and placed on the shelves of numerous retailers throughout the United States,” FDA Special Agent Lisa Malinowski said in the news release.

The defendants, who appeared in U.S. District Court in San Jose, will appear in court next on July 9. They were ordered to be released on $100,000 bond.

NBC San Diego is attempting to contact the defendants or their attorneys. Attempts to reach Kevin Attiq Friday afternoon were unsuccessful. We made a phone call to Dan-Dee Company and a representative hung up.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders lead the pack of presidential candidates in early primary and caucus states — at least in terms of Facebook likes and interactions.

Discussion on the social network in Iowa, the first caucus state, and in South Carolina and New Hampshire -- early primary states -- over the last month has focused mostly on the two Democrats, according to data provided by Facebook.

The data runs from May 13 to June 13, and ends before Donald Trump entered the race. Facebook's data includes all mentions and doesn't discern between negative and positive mentions. 

In all three states, Hillary Clinton dominated interactions, which are composed of likes, shares, posts, and comments about the candidate. For example, 66,000 unique users in Iowa had 289,000 interactions about the former secretary of state.

Clinton came out as the clear frontrunner in South Carolina, and had 104,000 users making 460,000 interactions about her. The next closest candidate in the state was U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who garnered 132,000 interactions from 34,000 users. 

In Iowa and New Hampshire, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) paced closely with Clinton.

In New Hampshire -- a state that abuts Sanders' Vermont -- he enjoyed 123,000 discussions among 23,000 unique users compared with Clinton's 145,000 interactions among 32,000 unique users.

Rounding out the 18 candidates presented in the data were former New York Gov. George Pataki, a Republican, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat. Pataki had only had roughly 2,000 interactions across all three states, while O'Malley did slightly better, getting 5,000 interactions in New Hampshire and South Carolina and 3,000 interactions in Iowa.  

Editor's note: This post has been updated to correct the number of users who interacted with Hillary Clinton on Facebook.

A massive wildfire blazing its way through mountainsides in the San Bernardino National Forest was being felt as far away as Arizona.

The fire was burning over 17 square miles near Big Bear Friday, threatening about 150 structures, according to Lyn Sieliet, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.

The blaze in the area of Jenks Lake in the Barton Flats was approximately 10,000 acres in size as of Thursday night, and it grew an additional 1,000 acres by Friday morning. It was 10 percent contained, a five percent increase on the previous day, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire was dropping ash and hurting air quality in Joshua Tree National Park, the National Park Service said Friday morning, advising that anyone with breathing issues not to undertake strenuous exercise in the park under the conditions.

The Lake Fire, as it's being called, has been burning timber and grass, and prompted more than 150 people to be evacuated. It was reported just before 4 p.m. Wednesday, and is burning east of Camp de Benneville Pines south of Jenks Lake Road. its cause is under investigation.

Resources deployed include 88 engines, one air tanker, 10 helicopters, an air attack plane and 28 crews. In total 1,224 firefighters were working the fire Friday. The thick smoke foiled some attempts to attack the blaze from the air.

The fire grew partly because winds gusted up to 35 mph Thursday. Winds pushed smoke from the fire east into Arizona.

The smoke you see out there this morning across northern AZ is coming all the way from the Lake Fire in southern CA! pic.twitter.com/vthNNW4vzf

— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) June 19, 2015

The plume was visible from space, according to NASA satellite imagery.

Smoke Plume for the Lake Fire as seen by NASA's Aqua satellite during its pass overhead yesterday. pic.twitter.com/waZmcQrj2c

— David Biggar (@DavidNBCLA) June 19, 2015

Highway 38 is closed between Angelus Oaks to Lake Williams, and Jenks Lake Road is closed as well. All Hiking Trails into the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area have been closed due to the proximity of the fire to many hiking trails. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from Whitewater Preserve to Onyx Summit.

Twenty to 25 residences were evacuated on Rainbow Lane in the Onyx Summit area by Thursday morning, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Campground evacuations include 120 people from Camp de Benneville Pines, one person from Camp Ta Ta Pochon, 24 people from Camp Alpine Meadows, 23 people from Camp Edwards, and 10 people from Camp Tulakes. Children from the camps were bused to Citrus Valley High School in Redlands to be reunited with their parents.

Evacuations also were ordered along Highway 38, east of Angelus Oaks to Onyx Summit.

Wildfire activity in California is nearly double the average for this time of year after a dry and warm winter, according to CalFire. The state fire agency responded to more than 1,100 wildfires that charred more than 4,200 acres between the start of the year and May.

Conditions are much drier than normal across the state, raising the risk of rapidly spreading fires.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Mercedes sedan crashed into the storefront of a Chipotle restaurant in Los Angeles County injuring up to eight people Friday afternoon, authorities said. 

Emergency crews were responding to the crash on the 4500 block of Pico Boulevard in the Mid-City area just before 2 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. 

One person was trapped underneath the car after the crash and two people were struck near the entrance, Tony Im said, a spokesman with the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Several ambulances and emergency workers were assisting patients after the crash. 

The restuarant, located on the third level of a parking structure, suffered damage near the front entrance with part of the door resting on the car's roof. 

It was unclear what caused the driver to jump the curb and crash.

The condition of the injured was unknown.

A 12-year-old Massachusetts boy who was home alone, locked himself in the bathroom and quickly called police after he heard someone breaking in Thursday, helping police capture the home invaders.

Brockton police say they got the 911 call just after 3 p.m. Thursday from the boy, who was locked in an upstairs bathroom in his home on Hillberg Avenue.

"They said, 'Is there anywhere you can go? and I said, 'No, 'cause they're already upstairs,'" Lou told necn, recalling what dispatchers told him to do. Although still fearful, the 12-year-old boy and his mother shared their ordeal with necn first.

Police say when responding officers arrived, they saw two men holding electronics through the back window, and that after the men spotted police, they dropped everything and ran.

Authorities say they found the men hiding in a basement bathroom.

Thirty-three-year-old Daniel Charles Griffin of Plymouth and 19-year-old Khary Daise of Boston face charges, including felony breaking and entering.

Brockton Police Lt. Kenneth Grice told the Brockton Enterprise that the 12-year-old was found unharmed.

"It has to be a scary situation for him," LeGrice told the Enterprise, adding, "He did the right thing in dialing 911 as soon as he though something was not right. There was no hesitation on his part, which is great."

Lou's mother recalls feeling that she was going to lose the 12-year-old boy she still calls her baby.

"When I heard him whispering and I got on the phone with the dispatcher, I thought that was it," his mother told necn.

Lou's mom says he was smart and kept his phone hidden until one of the robbers broke down the bathroom door and found him hiding in the tub.

"He said, 'Stay in there!' Like he yelled it. And he lunged at me, but he didn't come at me. As soon as he said one word, I started bawling like I couldn't stop crying," Lou said.

Lou's mother said the ordeal has been traumatic.

"I think this is by far one of the worst experiences that I've ever had to go through just knowing that I was that far away, that my hands were tied, that I couldn't protect him," Lou's mother said.

Griffin and Daise are set to be arraigned Friday. It's not clear if either has an attorney. 

An attic fire broke out at an apartment complex in Mission Valley Friday morning, sending fire crews rushing to the scene.

The fire began just before 6 a.m. at the two-story Centre Point Apartments in the 6500 block of Friars Road. When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke could be seen stemming from the roof of the building.

Fire officials said residents had evacuated safely.

Within minutes, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) upgraded the situation to a two-alarm fire, fearing the flames would spread to the entire length of the attic space.

Firefighters created a fire wall to prevent the spreading, cutting holes in the roof of the building to attack the blaze. The tactic worked, and they knocked out the fire within half an hour.

San Diego police were called to assist with traffic control in the busy area of Friars Road in both directions. San Diego Gas & Electric officials were also requested on scene.

As of 6:30 a.m., officials had shut down eastbound and westbound traffic on Friars Road from Via Las Cumbres to Fashion Valley Road to give fire crews more access and room to work. The closure was expected to remain in place for at least an hour.

By 6:40 a.m., the fire was out, the SDFD confirmed. Crews were on the roof of the apartment complex assessing the fire damage to apartment units.

An SDFD battalion chief told NBC 7 four units sustained smoke and water damage from the fire -- two upstairs apartments and two downstairs. At least seven residents were displaced, including five adults and two children.

Red Cross officials are now helping with temporary housing for the displaced residents.

Investigators determiend the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical short, the SDFD said. It caused an estimed $500,000 in damage to the building and $150,000 to the contents inside the units.

Friars Road eastbound was expected to re-open to traffic by 7:30 a.m., followed by westbound, as fire crews cleared the area.

No injuries were reported.

For many at Bethel AME Church, there is no way to truly understand what happened in Charleston, South Carolina.

"When I heard about it I was just completely shocked. It was hard to believe that something so profound could happen in a place of worship,” said Tara Cador.

"We don't want our churches to become places that are no longer safe,” echoed Bethel AME’s Pastor, Leslie White.

Thursday, the traditionally African American church was full of people of different ethnicities and religious backgrounds.

“I can't imagine what it is like to be in a community of faith and have someone come in and commit violence in a place that is supposed to be a refuge. It's supposed to be a sanctuary and place of God,” said Minister Elizabeth Bukey.

Each person in the church looked to each other for comfort, joining together in prayer. Praying for the nine lives lost at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston. People who were killed doing what those at Bethel AME feel the need to do now more than ever.

"We know God that you are more powerful than any hate on this planet,” prayed one minister. "So we're gathered here tonight as a community to ask you, father, to heal the hearts of those who have lost loved ones."

Nearly everyone at the church is hoping to prove that in the midst of tragedy, there can be healing.

“We know that love overcomes hate,” said Cador.

There was also another vigil Thursday night at the Table Church of Christ of La Mesa. There, they said say they are not afraid to pray and they're not going to allow an act of terror to take away their sense of community.

A 73-year-old San Diego woman allegedly slain by her daughter was identified by police Friday while her accused killer awaited her first appearance in court.

The San Diego Police Department said the homicide victim was Svetlana Gurinova. The victim was found dead inside her Carmel Valley home on Carmel View Road Tuesday just before 10:30 p.m.

Her daughter, Lara Epstein, 51, was arrested and charged with her murder. She was supposed to be arraigned Friday afternoon, but a judge postponed the hearing until Tuesday, so the court can secure a Russian interpreter.

According to police, officers and paramedics were called to Gurinova’s home for a welfare check after a family member reported the woman may have been in distress and in need of help.

When officers arrived at the home, there was no response at the front door. Police said they heard a woman talking and a dog barking from inside the home.

When they opened the door, officers Epstein standing in the living room. Epstein then directed officers to the lifeless body of her mother inside the house.

Homicide investigators said the victim had suffered massive blunt force trauma to her body, including some lacerations.

After questioning Epstein, police arrested her on suspicion of murder. No further details of the crime – or a motive – were released by authorities.

SDPD Lt. Paul Rorrison said Epstein was calm and rambling on when police encountered her at the residence. She made some statements that led police to take her into custody, he said.

Epstein was booked into the LCDRF Las Colinas Detention and Re-entry Facility on one count of first-degree murder.

Police officers taped off the home and obtained a search warrant. Officials said there was a lot of trace evidence to sift through, including DNA and fingerprints, so a criminal analyst was called in.

There were no witnesses in the homicide and investigators said it appeared no one heard any suspicious noise coming from the home either. Neighbors said they did not know the victim, as the residents kept mostly to themselves.

There are no outstanding suspects in the killing of Gurinova, Lt. Rorrison said.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information should contact the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

A 13-year-old Southern California boy who took his parents’ car for a wild joyride overnight crashed into a senior service center and then walked away from the wreck, police confirmed.

Unbeknownst to his parents, the teen took their car and drove along streets in Chula Vista, about 10 miles from downtown San Diego.

The Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) said the joyride began with the teen crashing into a parked Dodge Ram truck. He then continued driving down East Palomar Street, making a too wide of a turn onto Monarche Drive.

The car jumped the curb, drifted across the sidewalk and then smashed through a fence and into St. Paul’s Plaza, a senior service center.

The collision crushed the front-end of the boy’s car and shattered the rear window. The teen sustained minor injuries and then walked away from the crash site, witnesses told police.

Chula Vista officers called the owners of the crashed vehicle and they told police their car was missing and so was their 13-year-old son. The boy was found a short time later and taken to Rady Children’s Hospital with unspecified injuries.

No other drivers were injured during the joyride and no one at the senior center was hurt. The senior center had just opened a few weeks ago.

The incident is under investigation but police said they do not believe alcohol played a role in the crash. It is unclear, at this point, if the teen will be charged in the joyride crash.
 

A fire is burning north of Camp Pendleton, creating smoke that's visible for several miles.

The vegetation fire broke out at about 3:30 p.m. in the area of Robelar Road north of Camp Pendleton North.

No structures or people are threatened in this fire, Camp Pendleton Fire Department officials said.

Officials said they didn't have an estimate on the size of the fire. They expect smoke to be visible in the area for several hours.

Smoke was visible from downtown Fallbrook.

A fire engulfed a tour bus near Belmont Park in Mission Beach Friday evening, according to San Diego Fire officials.

The fire started at 6:15 p.m. in the 3100 block of Mission Boulevard.

There is no word on what kind of tour bus it is, or if anyone is injured.

Check back here for details on this breaking news story.

Georgia-based prescription eyewear retailer Eyeglass World has opened a new store at the North County Square commercial center in Vista, the first of eight planned for San Diego County by June 2016.

Company officials said the store at 1811 University Drive, one of two now open in California, is among the first in the nation to offer specially designed prescription lenses for high-tech “smart glass” eyewear products, such as Google Glass and Vuzix M100.

Developed in partnership with Rochester Optical of New York, the lenses provide specific customized adjustments needed for “heads-up display” technologies deployed in smart glasses, which let users view digital content.

Eyeglass World is among several chains owned by Duluth, Ga.-based National Vision Inc., which operates 800 retail locations in 44 states and the District of Columbia. There are more than 70 Eyeglass World stores nationwide.
 

A Navy veteran who performs as a clown for children is recovering after being brutally beaten by a stranger at a public transit stop in San Diego’s East County while his attacker remains at large.

On June 13, around 8 p.m., Frank Cerasoli was in downtown La Mesa wrapping up a shopping trip for balloons and clown makeup at the Gypsy Treasure costume store.

As he left the store to make his way back home, an unknown man violently attacked him at the La Mesa Trolley Station at 8248 La Mesa Blvd., police confirmed.

Cerasoli was left bruised and bloodied – and confused about what happened and why he was attacked.

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La Mesa police officers arrived on scene quickly, but the suspect was gone and no arrests were made. Many witnesses had boarded the Trolley, too. Police launched an investigation into the battery case and said they’re looking for any witnesses who saw the beating and may have more information on the suspect.

Cerasoli told NBC 7 he left the costume store around 7 p.m. and walked toward the Trolley Station. During his walk, he came across a young couple.

He said the woman made a funny face at him, so he made a funny face back. Apparently, the woman’s male companion did not like this exchange.

Before he could make sense of anything, Cerasoli said the man began pummeling him with his fists.

“I said, ‘Hey, just let it go man. Let it go.’ And he kept coming toward me and I was walking away,” he recalled. “The next thing I know, I was ‘Bam!’ I got slammed at the back of the head and I went face down on the ground.”

“I’m trying to tell the guy, ‘Let it go. Get off me. Stop,’” he added.

After the beating, the suspect fled the scene.

When police officers arrived, they asked Cerasoli to give them a description of his attacker, but he didn’t have much to share.

“I can’t really tell you, exactly, what occurred,” he said.

Cerasoli is a Navy veteran. When he was younger, he was involved in motorcycle accident that left him with short-term memory loss.

Today, if he wants to remember something, he has to write it down in a book that he keeps.

“If you want to know anything about me, it’s pretty much in there,” he explained.

Given that he was badly hurt in the Trolley station attack, Cerasoli said he wasn’t able to write everything down about the incident before he forgot some of the details, including what the suspect looks like.

However, he said he’ll never forget the attack – and how it made him feel.

“What he did was incorrect,” he said of his attacker. “He needs to learn it within himself.”

Cerasoli is well-known and loved by his community and often performs as “Scooter” the clown for children’s parties. He said nothing brings him more joy than making people happy.

Now, his friends and neighbors are rallying around him, hoping his attacker is found and justice is served.

The beating remains under investigation and police are now looking at surveillance video of the attack, trying to zone in on the suspect. Police said surveillance images may be released to the media.

For now, police believe there are many more witnesses out there who have not yet come forward. Again, anyone with information on the case should contact the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400.
 

Police have arrested six young suspects allegedly involved in a crime spree throughout Chula Vista that included an attempted homicide, home burglaries and stealing from middle school students on the streets.

The Chula Vista Police Department said Thursday that five suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime spree that began as early as October 2014.

Those suspects included: Delvon Edward Miller, 20; John Albert Rocha, 18; Mikey Robert Palomata; 18; and Marco Morales; 19.

All four young men were arrested on Tuesday, most of them at their homes.

Miller was charged with attempted homicide, two counts of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of conspiracy and mayhem. He was in possession of pepper spray at the time of his arrest, police said.

Rocha was booked for robbery and Morales was booked for residential burglary. Police said Palomata was arrested at the CVPD station after police told him to come in to pick up some recovered stolen items. Instead, he was charged with robbery.

A fifth suspect, a 17-year-old Chula Vista resident, was also taken into custody and booked into Juvenile Hall for attempted homicide and robbery. Police said the San Diego District Attorney’s office is considering charging him as an adult.

On Friday, CVPD officials announced a sixth suspect had been arrested in the crime spree: a 17-year-old accused in a May 23 robbery on North Brook Avenue of a victim seeking to purchase a GoPro camera.

Police said this suspect was also allegedly involved in two robberies of middle school children on May 26. In one instance, he pointed a replica firearm at his young victim. The suspect was not named, as he is a minor, but police said he turns 18 this month.

Investigators said there is a seventh suspect outstanding in this case, 20-year-old Samuel Armstead. He’s wanted on charges of attempted homicide and robbery.

Police said the crimes in this series include an October 2014 burglary at a home in the 900 block of Wild Oak Road with losses nearing $17,000. Morales and one of the juvenile suspects are linked to that case.

The same juvenile is linked to an April 2015 felony assault in the 2500 block of Nobel Drive.

The May 23 robbery on Northbrook Avenue is also connected to Rocha and Palomata. During this incident, the suspects agreed to meet a victim to sell him a GoPro camera. During the meeting, police said the suspect struck the victim, threatened to shoot him and threatened to have a weapon before taking nearly $800 in cash and a cellphone from the victim.

Investigators said Morales and Rocha are linked to a May 26 incident in which they allegedly robbed a 13-year-old of his cellphone on the street. A few minutes later, two victims – ages 12 and 13 – called police to report being robbed by two men at gunpoint who took their iPad and cellphone.

Police said Morales’ white Ford Fusion vehicle was used in both May 26 robberies.

On June 14, the crime spree turned even more violent.

Police said that just before midnight, as many as five suspects attacked a 15-year-old victim at the intersection of Ortega Street and Anapanu Avenue, stealing his wallet, cellphone and cash.

The victim was struck over the head with a pole, punched and doused in pepper spray. The head injury sent the boy to the hospital with a fractured skull.

Investigators said Miller, Palomata, Armstead and at least one of the juveniles were involved in the violent attack.

Finally, on June 15, a 21-year-old victim called police to report that he and a companion had been approached by Miller and Armstead while at a gas station at 950 Eastlake Parkway. Miller and Armstead demanded money.

The victim told police he recognized the suspects as aspiring rappers that he had worked with before. When he refused to hand over cash, the suspects both allegedly punched and kicked him repeatedly.

Police said the victim suffered facial injuries and had his cell phone, wallet, watch and one of his shoes stolen.

The CVPD believes there are more victims out there who have been assaulted or robbed by this group of suspects. Anyone with information on this crime spree – or the whereabouts of Armstead – should contact the CVPD’s Crimes of Violence Unit at (619) 691-5202 or (619) 691-5151.

A skydiver was pronounced dead after a hard landing at the Skydive San Diego in Jamul Friday.

The incident happened at 13531 Otay Lakes Road at 1:30 p.m.

Paramedics and a medical chopper were called in, and despite lifesaving efforts, they were not able to revive the victim.

The name of the skydiver has not been released.

Check back here for details on this breaking news story.

A judge set bail at $3 million Friday for a San Diego man accused of having sexually explicit photos of young children on his cellphone, many of them clients at a day care operated by his ex-wife.

Rancho Bernardo resident Abdullah Sediqi pleaded not guilty to 13 charges, including lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and lewd disorderly conduct. Graphic details of the crimes he's accused of were revealed at his arraignment Friday.

"A third victim, he was laying on his bare chest in clearly what is his bedroom, and clearly at one point, he is kissing her," said Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso. "A fourth victim, again he has her posed with her little shirt over her head and the camera is focusing on her chest and abdomen."

Sediqi at one point put his dead down as the prosecutor described photos she said were found on his cellphone. Nine of the 13 counts against the suspect are felonies, including charges of child abuse, child molestation and manufacturing pornography.

The alleged victims are children currently or formerly enrolled at the Kid's Castle Day Care on Matinal Road, a Rancho Bernardo business owned and operated by Sediqi’s ex-wife, Katrien Sediqi. Police said Sediqi was living in the house where the day care is operated.

"I understand the allegations are extreme," Sediqi's defense attorney Peter Liss said, "but we live in a country where we have laws and evidence and I would like to see what evidence is against my client." 

Sediqi is also accused of taking up-skirt photographs of women as they shopped at the Valley Thrift Store on East Valley Parkway in Escondido.

"He is very humbled and ashamed right now for his predicament he put his family in," said Liss. "I understand he's the defendant, but it's a very sad state of affairs right now." 

Escondido Police arrested Sediqi, 64, Wednesday on suspicion of possessing child pornography and other sex crimes against children.

Police said Sediqi was first arrested on June 13 after a woman shopping at the Valley Thrift Store noticed the suspect crouched down closely behind her with his cellphone in hand.

The woman moved away from him and then saw Sediqi approach another woman shopping at the store. Sediqi then allegedly crouched down low to take a photograph under the woman’s clothing, police said.

The witness called police and officers arrived at the store to speak with the suspect.

Officers discovered Sediqi had used his phone to snap several photos underneath the clothing of unsuspecting women in the store, two of whom were minors. The up-skirt images were taken from at least two separate locations, police said.

Sediqi was arrested at the scene and booked in the Vista Detention Facility. He posted bail and was released.

"This man is a true predator," said Grasso. "He's a predator to baby girls, he's a predator to minor girls and he's a predator to women." 

As part of the investigation, police said Sediqi’s phone was forensically analyzed by an Escondido Police detective with the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The detective found that Sediqi’s phone contained more than 6,000 photographs, and while most were innocuous, they found more than up-skirt shots.

Many of the pictures were “very graphic and disturbing,” images of children, Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter said during a news conference Thursday morning. Some of the girls in the photos appeared to be as young as three to five years old -- many from Katrien's day care.

Further investigation revealed that many of the children in those disturbing photographs were kids that attend Kid’s Castle Day Care on Matinal Road, a Rancho Bernardo business owned and operated by Sediqi’s ex-wife, Katrien Sediqi. The day care also goes by the name of Sediqi Family Day Care.

"This is very devastating. This is a very sick individual," said Chief Carter. "This is something that I need the parents that were in this day care from 2013 to present to come forward."

Based on these new charges of possession of child pornography, police arrested Sediqi again within 24 hours of his up-skirt arrest.  He is currently being held without bail on dozens of charges.

The EPD said detectives served a search warrant on the Sediqi home and day care facility and seized all records of current clients of the business. More phones, computers and external hard drives were also taken from the home by investigators.

During the search, investigators said they also found nearly 14 grams of cocaine inside the home belonging to the suspect’s adult son, Roin Mohammad Sediqi, 26. Roin was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, police said.

The police department said officers contacted the parents of every child who is a current client of Kid’s Castle Day Care and alerted them of Sediqi’s arrest.

“The reactions, as you could imagine, are shock,” said Carter. “They say that they trusted this family, and even Mr. Sediqi said himself that, ‘We really appreciate you the parents, and I would do anything for you or your children.’”

Police have also notified the Community Care Licensing Division of the California Department of Social Services, which is responsible for the issuance and revocation of state licenses to day care facilities.

The EPD said the investigation on this case is ongoing. San Diego court records show Sediqi and his ex-wife filed for divorce in June 2010.

Anyone who is a current or former client of the day care who is concerned their child may have been victimized by Sediqi should contact detectives at the police department at (760) 839-4926.

A 10-acre fire about 100 yards off the freeway has forced evacuations and a Sig Alert on State Route 94 Friday afternoon. 

The vegetation fire — dubbed the Mercado Fire — started near Via Mercado and Jamacha Boulevard in the Rancho San Diego area at about 3:40 p.m.

Homes on Via Linda Vista Road, Del Rio Road, Via Mercado and Via Timoteo were evacuated, and the assistant director of the Rancho San Diego KinderCare said they got everyone out of their facility. 

An evacuation center has been set up at Monte Vista High School.

A Sig Alert was issued as eastbound SR-94 lanes were closed between Avocado Boulevard and Campo Road, but by 6:30 p.m. all but one lane was reopened.

Officials are also closing roads at northbound Calavo Drive and Avocado Boulevard.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the fire is spreading rapidly. It is about 85 percent contained, Cal Fire says.

Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are dropping fire retardant to stop its spread.

Nearby sits a transient camp, so sheriff's deputies are making sure anyone in the area is relocated as firefighters respond. All evacuations are voluntary at this point.

The fire has also reached the San Diego Gas and Electric's Jamacha substation. According to an SDG&E spokeswoman, fire crews are at the scene, and they have not identified any damage at this time. No outages have been reported.

Joel, a resident who was asked to leave, said he was at work when he got his brother-in-law's call, telling him the fire was dangerously close to his house.

"I hear that they were going to start evacuating and I better come here and get my pets and my personal belongings," he said. "The fire was coming up my hill."

Joel watched as firefighters beat back the flames and stopped them from reaching his fence.

"This is crazy. This is nuts. This is so bad," Joel said. "I'm glad the fire department's here and I'm glad they're doing a great job right now because I want to protect my house and I want my neighbors to protect their houses."

He said he has lived in that house for 12 years, and a fire has never come that close.

At about 4 p.m., Aziz Goryoka got a call that said his elderly parents and his kids, who all live with him, were put on evacuation notice.

"For me, job #1 is taking care of my family, making sure that they're going to be safe. And so that's why I rushed to quickly come," Goryoka told NBC 7.

He said he had to park about two miles away and walk to his home because so many roads were blocked off. Finally, he was able to reach the home he had lived in for the past 35 years.

Just like Joel, he had never seen a fire threaten his home like that. Over the years, he has watched other San Diegans go through devastating fire seasons, and he wondered when it would be their turn.

"To see it happen next door, now we're being affected," he said. "You never think this is going to happen to you, but how close it is and how surreal it can be and how dangerous and how more devastating it could have turned out. Thankfully it hasn't turned that way."

It's unclear how the fire started.