Category: CNN Regional

By Dean Fioresi

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    SIMI VALLEY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Police say that a married couple in their 60s was shot and killed inside their Simi Valley home on Sunday afternoon and that they’re now looking at their stepson as a possible suspect.

Officers were dispatched to the Wood Ranch neighborhood just after 12 p.m. upon learning of shots fired at a home in the 500 block of Hawks Bill Place, according to a news release from the Simi Valley Police Department.

When officers arrived at the home, they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to police. They were both pronounced dead at around 7 p.m.

Adventist Health Simi Valley later identified the victims as Dr. Eric Cordes and his wife, Vicki. Cordes was a “highly respected” radiologist for more than 30 years, the healthcare non-profit said.

Investigators told CBS Los Angeles that they did not believe the incident was random and that it did not appear to be a domestic incident. Callers told SVPD officers that the suspect walked up the driveway of the home and into the garage before opening fire.

Police later said that they were looking into a potential connection with a car fire and death by suicide that happened more than 70 miles away at Ayala Park in Chino.

Chino Police Department officers told CBS Los Angeles that they responded to a death by suicide at the park, located at 14225 Central Avenue, after learning that a car had been set on fire next to a deceased person. They say that they’ve been communicating with SVPD and are looking into possibilities that the incidents are connected.

SkyCal flew over the spot of the shooting, where a large amount of blood could be seen inside the garage of a home at the end of a cul-de-sac. There was a large presence of law enforcement officers as the investigation was underway. It also flew over the investigation in Ayala Park, where a burnt-out sedan was seen surrounded by investigators before it was towed from the area.

People were asked to stay away from both areas as the investigations continued, but SVPD and CPD officers said that they did not believe there were any further threats to the public.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Dean Fioresi

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    California (KCAL, KCBS) — An Altadena homeowner says that he’s been living with an unwanted guest for the better part of a week, after a large bear took up residence in the crawlspace underneath his home.

The massive bear has been caught on camera several times as it comes and goes from the small hole underneath Ken Johnson’s house, starting on Monday last week. Other videos show the bear walking around the property, as well as the first time the animal gained entry to the crawlspace, easily ripping away a small screen before squeezing inside.

“I noticed that the camera showed the bear coming out in the middle of the night,” Johnson said. “But the batteries died, so it never showed where it went. So, I didn’t know if it went to the backyard, the front yard, or it was still under there.”

He says that when he went to the side yard to replace the batteries on the camera, the bear growled at him from the crawlspace.

“I was just terrified, shaking,” he said. “That’s when I called the sheriff.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials told Johnson to call the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which he did on Friday. They told him that he would have to wait until Monday for a response from their personnel due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Mike Darnay

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — It was a potentially historic afternoon for Pittsburgh cookie table lovers as members of a Facebook community gathered to try and break the world record for the largest Christmas cookie exchange.

The “Wedding Cookie Table Community” group on Facebook made their best effort at breaking the world record as many of the community’s members gathered at the Kringle Kitchen at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Sunday.

33 teams of 10 people from within a 75-mile radius of the fairgrounds worked to make and exchange the sweet treats along with teams from across the country and even New Zealand taking part in the Christmas cookie spirit.

Event organizers say at least 80,000 cookies were at Sunday’s exchange.

Each team had their own theme along with all of their tasty creations on display.

“We hope to establish a world record,” said Laura Magone, the founder of the Wedding Cookie Table Community group.” Right now, there is not one, but I think we’ll establish one today. We’re doing everything we can with the paperwork and trying to do it right.”

It’s unclear right now exactly when information will be released if the world record was reached.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

KDKA

By Mike Darnay

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — It was a potentially historic afternoon for Pittsburgh cookie table lovers as members of a Facebook community gathered to try and break the world record for the largest Christmas cookie exchange.

The “Wedding Cookie Table Community” group on Facebook made their best effort at breaking the world record as many of the community’s members gathered at the Kringle Kitchen at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Sunday.

33 teams of 10 people from within a 75-mile radius of the fairgrounds worked to make and exchange the sweet treats along with teams from across the country and even New Zealand taking part in the Christmas cookie spirit.

Event organizers say at least 80,000 cookies were at Sunday’s exchange.

Each team had their own theme along with all of their tasty creations on display.

“We hope to establish a world record,” said Laura Magone, the founder of the Wedding Cookie Table Community group.” Right now, there is not one, but I think we’ll establish one today. We’re doing everything we can with the paperwork and trying to do it right.”

It’s unclear right now exactly when information will be released if the world record was reached.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Daniel Macht, Nijzel Dotson, Anahita Jafary

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    STOCKTON, California (KCRA) — Stockton-area faith leaders and community members held a vigil in Stockton on Sunday, a day after four people died and 11 others were hurt in a shooting.

Faith in the Valley organized the vigil at 9299 Thornton Road. Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi and Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee also spoke at the event.

Saturday’s mass shooting took place during a family gathering at a banquet hall in the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in Stockton before 6 p.m., according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Lee described the event as a birthday party.

A San Joaquin County sheriff’s spokesperson said Sunday that those who died were ages 8, 9, 14, and 21.

Multiple speakers shared the sentiment that the community needs to come together to prevent violence like this in the city’s future and the families directly impacted will need an abundance of support.

Lee and Fugazi both emphasized that those incited to retaliate after Saturday’s shooting must make the choice to stand down.

“Parents brought their children out and they left with medical examiners, that is not human. To those who are thinking of retaliation, when my brother got murdered I thought about it too,” Lee said. “It’s human to want to hurt people who hurt people you love, but I had a choice to make, and I hope people in our community make the right choice and contact law enforcement, call me, call the mayor.”

Fugazi’s message was more blunt: Put the gun down.

The suspect is still at large and the shooting is still under investigation, the sheriff’s office confirmed. The victims range in age from children to adults.

Officials described the shooting as targeted.

Michelle Rodriguez, Stockton Unified School District Superintendent, said that one of the children killed was a district student and their parent is a teacher.

“I got choked up when I spoke to her today and then I had to pull myself together because I needed to be strong for her,” said Rodriguez, who was among the vigil crowd. “Obviously, children are what we care about and so it’s really hard for us, but we also believe in being strong for those that need it the most.”

Richard Stoeckl, a community organizer with Faith in the Valley, said he hopes the visit is a starting point for people to “wake up” and “get involved” in the community.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Steven Yablonski

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A drone used by the Miami Police Department was able to help officers track and eventually arrest a man connected to a domestic dispute last month, and the entire incident was caught on camera.

Police said they were dispatched to reports of a domestic-related dispute involving a boyfriend, who was later identified as 24-year-old LeCurry Anthony Williams Jr., who allegedly shoved his girlfriend and vandalized a window.

At that time, the Miami Police Department Drone First Responder unit deployed a drone to the area, which arrived at the scene before patrol units due to its aerial response capabilities, according to police.

Due to that, police said the drone was able to quickly spot Williams trying to leave the scene. The drone was also able to maintain visual contact with him and was able to relay real-time updates to officers responding to the scene.

In addition, police said Willimas tried to change clothes to avoid being recognized and arrested.

However, due to the live video feed from overhead, officers were able to remain informed of his appearance and where he was headed during the incident.

“This enhanced situational awareness allowed officers to approach and apprehend the suspect safely and without further incident, contributing to an effective resolution of the call,” the City of Miami Police Department said in a statement.

Police said the department continues to leverage innovative tools like the Drone First Responder program to enhance officer safety, improve response times, and better serve the community.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

WFOR

By Steven Yablonski

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A drone used by the Miami Police Department was able to help officers track and eventually arrest a man connected to a domestic dispute last month, and the entire incident was caught on camera.

Police said they were dispatched to reports of a domestic-related dispute involving a boyfriend, who was later identified as 24-year-old LeCurry Anthony Williams Jr., who allegedly shoved his girlfriend and vandalized a window.

At that time, the Miami Police Department Drone First Responder unit deployed a drone to the area, which arrived at the scene before patrol units due to its aerial response capabilities, according to police.

Due to that, police said the drone was able to quickly spot Williams trying to leave the scene. The drone was also able to maintain visual contact with him and was able to relay real-time updates to officers responding to the scene.

In addition, police said Willimas tried to change clothes to avoid being recognized and arrested.

However, due to the live video feed from overhead, officers were able to remain informed of his appearance and where he was headed during the incident.

“This enhanced situational awareness allowed officers to approach and apprehend the suspect safely and without further incident, contributing to an effective resolution of the call,” the City of Miami Police Department said in a statement.

Police said the department continues to leverage innovative tools like the Drone First Responder program to enhance officer safety, improve response times, and better serve the community.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Julian Paras

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    SANTA ANA PUEBLO, New Mexico (KOAT) — Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico provides more than just a vacation — but also a sanctuary for abandoned and surrendered horses. The Stables at Tamaya offers them rehabilitation and care through a dedicated program.

Leika is one of those horses at the Stables at Tamaya. She’s as healthy as a horse can look at three years old. However, before arriving at the stables, Leika did not look the way she does now.

Gregg Marcantel, a wrangler with the rehab program, said, “She was pretty undernourished. In fact, she was so emaciated that you could set your hand on her back and feel her heartbeat.”

Marcantel explained that the program focuses on horses like Leika, often coming from owners who find themselves unable to manage the care required.

“Many of the cases are people that just wind up getting into life and realizing that they’ve got a little bit more horse than they can handle,” he said. This means they either don’t have enough money to support these animals or just don’t have the time to care for them.

Leika is not the only horse to benefit from rehabilitation at the Stables at Tamaya. According to those overseeing the program, every horse has been rehabilitated in some way. Connie Collis, the stables operator and founder of the rehab and rescue program, initially thought she would make some impact. The program has grown significantly over its 14-year lifespan.

“I actually thought when I started that maybe I was going to rescue ten horses, but it just didn’t happen that way,” Collis said.

Events like the Horseshoes and Heels Gala have played a crucial role in supporting the program, providing resources for training, vet care, and food.

Collis said, “It’s an amazing thing that we’re able to help because we’re here. It really is true that we’re able to help so many horses.”

Thanks to these efforts, horses like Leika are experiencing a life filled with care and attention.

“I think she knows it,” Marcantel said. “I think she knows how good she has it. And I think she appreciates the contrast between how she started her life.”

Organizers with the Horseshoes and Heels Gala raised approximately $90,000 for the event on Saturday. The money will be used to fund training, shelter, feed, and veterinary care for all animals through the rehab program.

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By Michael Rosales

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    SALINAS, California (KSBW) — A viral “door-kicking” challenge circulating on social media has reached Salinas, with residents reporting teens sprinting up to homes, kicking front doors, and running away.

One incident in the Creekbridge neighborhood was caught on a Ring camera. There have been similar posts appearing across the Nextdoor app, with at least one Salinas resident saying a kick knocked their door off its hinges.

A concerned neighbor blames lack of supervision and peer pressure.

“Parents are working, and they don’t know where their kids are,” one resident said.

Police across the country warn that the trend has already led to violent confrontations.

“This year alone, there’s been two deaths related to this — one in Texas and one in Virginia— where individuals were shot as they were fleeing,” said Chief Thomas Bell of Lower Swatara Township police.

Elk Grove police added, “What may be fun to post is traumatic and terrorizing to those on the other side of the door.”

Authorities advise parents to talk with teens about risks, and residents to report incidents save video evidence and avoid confrontations.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.