Miami Hurricanes fans who were heading on a flight to Dallas to see the Miami Hurricanes face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes on New Year’s Eve found out that their flight, Frontier Flight 2675, was canceled two hours before takeoff.

One Canes fan who spoke with 7News said she found out about the cancellation while she and her husband were in line to get their bags tagged.

She said they felt helpless and had to scramble to figure out what happened with Frontier officials.

She went on to say officials gave them a card with a QR code, and that the next flight that was offered would land a day after the Cotton Bowl ended.

In a statement shared with 7News, a spokesperson with Frontier Airlines wrote:

“Several earlier disruptions across our network, including [air traffic control] constraints, reduced our available crew in Miami and necessitated the cancellation of this flight to comply with safety and regulatory guidelines.”

Another fan who spoke with 7News said she was very upset.

“Distraught, because, I mean, you have this sense of excitement that you’re going to see this bucket list type event,” she said. “It’s a college bowl game, so you’re hyped, you’re excited for the game, but then you get here and then automatically, it’s almost as if the rug has been pulled from underneath you, you know. It’s shock, it’s borderline desperation, because you’re trying to figure out what you’re gonna do.”

That fan did manage to book another flight heading to Texas through Delta.

A picture shared by that fan showed her onboard the flight packed with several other Canes fans. They are still heading for Dallas through connecting flights, while other Canes fans have canceled their trip entirely due to the issues from Frontier.

Frontier officials said they are offering refunds along with a $100 voucher for future travel for the passengers, as well as the option of rebooking the flight with another airline.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a traffic crash along the 1600 block of North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach, at around 7 p.m. on Monday.

According to investigators, the victims — ages 15, 16 and 18 — were killed in the two-vehicle crash.

“One of those vehicles had crashed into a light pole and also impacted a bus stop,” said BSO spokesperson Carey Codd.

Deputies said all three victims were inside a white car when the crash occurred.

Witnesses Jessica and Jerry Garcia described what they saw.

“The white car in particular was flying by to try and make the light. The light was already yellow turning to red, and he flew by, at least in excess of 80 to 90 miles an hour. He was really flying fast,” said Jerry.

“We could feel it,” said Jessica. “So loud, it was so loud, like we’ve just – we’ve been shaking.”

“He was about to hit the car in the center lane. He swerved over the get away from it, hit the car in the left-hand outer lane,” said Jerry.

Another witness said the sound from the impact was deafening.

“I was actually at the light, about to make a left, and I heard the loud boom, which, automatically I had to just stop the car and try to get out to see if anyone – but, it was bad to the point where from what I saw, it was a bad accident,” he said. “Ran over, obviously I saw a lot of blood, don’t know who, or what happened, but I was just terrified.”

The crash left one of the vehicles involved facing the opposite direction, the bus stop torn apart, the concrete pole on its side and shattered glass across the sidewalk.

Cellphone video captured how massive the response was, as first responders descended upon the busy road. They worked quickly to pull the victims from the car.

“The deputies and paramedics immediately attempted to provide any type of lifesaving medical treatment that they could,” said Codd.

The cellphone video shows one of the victims being removed from the car and put on a stretcher.

“That sound that I heard, I didn’t think that someone would have survived that, to be honest,” said a witness.

“Three individuals inside the white car that hit the light pole and bus stop were transported to [Broward Health North]. Sadly, all three were pronounced deceased,” said Codd.

“My heart goes out to the families, you know, who’ve lost lives,” said a witness.

“We have teenage boys, and for us, this is just so painful,” said Jessica.

“It makes me feel sad and angry at the same time, because why?” said another witness.

“To have three young people die in a crash like this, it absolutely breaks your heart,” said Codd.

Investigators said it appears as though the individuals who were in the other car involved were not injured.

Deputies shut down a portion of North Federal Highway for hours, as they combed the scene well into the night.

“They are taking witness statements, gathering evidence, looking for video that will help them try and understand what led up to this tragedy,” said Codd.

Tuesday morning, the sound of saws filled the air as crews removed debris at the scene.

Authorities have not released the victims’ identities or an official cause, as they continue their investigation into the crash.

According to Lauderhill Police, the gunfire occurred in the area of Northwest 22nd Street and 56th Avenue, at around 10 p.m. on Thursday.

Security footage shared with 7News shows a group of people arguing in the parking lot of the Sunny Lake apartment complex.

Neighbors said that the people were from two different apartments and had been fighting for most of the day over loud music and parking spots. They said the arguing had been going on for more than a day, but things escalated quickly on Christmas night.

In a separate video shared with 7News, that is too graphic to air, a woman in an orange dress is seen waving around a gun and within seconds a man shoots her, she falls to the ground, and screams follow.

When officers arrived at the apartment complex, investigators said, they found the victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound outside of a home. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Service requested for someone suffering a gunshot wound to the head. Caller is a passerby,” can be heard over the police scanner detailing the scenario.

Detectives said they have accounted for everyone involved and believe this is an isolated incident.

Neighbors said the victim, identified as 36-year-old Octavia Stewart, had lived at the apartment complex for a few years with her daughter and that the gunman was a guest of one of the apartments. The identity of the woman or if anyone will face charges has yet to be confirmed.

Officials still ask that if anyone has any information that could help with their investigation to call Lauderhill Police Department at 954-497-4700 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

On Thursday, several protesters gathered outside of the Broward Transitional Center to send a message on the holiday.

“The United States of America treating people like this, it’s unbelievable to me,” said demonstrator Nancy Horn.

“On Christmas Day, it was important to shed light on the people inside that are missing their families on Christmas, and to show solidarity with the people on the outside missing loved ones that are wrongfully detained on the inside,” said Christine Calareso Bleecker, from the Joyful Resistance activism organization.

Demonstrators at the event — organized by Joyful Resistance, Resist Wilton Manors and Wilton Manors Indivisible — held signs containing various messages, including “ICE can’t disappear all of us” and “Detention for Profits.”

The words they used for each sign, protesters said, were focused on what they believe is happening inside detention facilities.

“I hope in some way the people on the inside can feel our presence,” said Calareso Bleecker.

Demonstrators said they will continue to fight for those who have been separated from their loved ones.

“We want to be on the right side of history, and if we sat back and we did absolutely nothing, it doesn’t make sense,” said John McNeice from the group Resist Wilton Manors.

“I find everything that is happening completely unconscionable. It’s illegal, it’s immoral, it is the most anti-Christian thing that we could possibly do,” said Bleecker.

“We feel horrible for these people who are in there. They are torn apart from their families, they did nothing wrong,” said Horn.

Over the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in office, immigration enforcement has escalated across the country as part of a longstanding promise made by Trump during his campaign.

For Christmas Day, the organizations Joyful Resistance, Resist Wilton Manors and Wilton Manors Indivisible wanted to share their message and they all hope others will begin listening.

“The GOP and everybody really because a lot of people aren’t aware of what’s going on in there,” said Calareso Bleecker.

“I live in Coconut Creek. I never knew that this facility even existed here,” said McNeice.

Organizers said they plan to hold several more demonstrations like this across South Florida. They plan to hold protests every other Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m.

Brandon Billmaier and his uncle, Randy Spivey, who were 33 years old and 57 years old, respectively, went on a fishing trip on Friday and never returned, leaving their loved ones distraught.

Deborah Billmaier, Brandon’s wife, shared the sorrow she feels for losing her husband.

“He loved fishing, that’s all he talked about. He lived for it, he lived for his family, for me,” she said.

Deborah shared the last text message she received from Brandon before he headed out to sea.

“He texted me that morning, and he said, ‘I love you. I will see you tonight, be back home tonight,” said Deborah.

The Billmaiers were newlyweds and had recently celebrated their first anniversary in Paris.

The U.S. Coast Guard searched for the two missing men off the coast of Fort Myers, which was their last known location, since Friday night. But on Monday evening, officials called off the search.

Deborah said that the two men may have looked over one more fishing spot on the way back when one of them fell overboard.

“It must have been an emergency because the other person jumped in after them. I guess in the moments whoever jumped in after, whoever was in the water, they didn’t realize the engines were on,” said Deborah.

Deborah was thankful that the two men were together and said that her husband always admired his uncle.

“He became an attorney to follow in Uncle Randy’s footsteps. Our first date, he told me he moved to Florida because he wanted to be like Uncle Randy, and that his whole life he was working to be just like him, law school, passed the bar exam,” said Deborah.

While the holiday season will be difficult for her and their family, she is grateful for the support she has received.

“I think we are really grateful that people everyone from everywhere are praying for us and keeping them in their minds,” said Deborah.

The FBI has taken the lead on the investigation.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a domestic incident near the 100 block of Northeast 41st Street and First Terrace at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Responding deputies arrived to find the woman suffering from stab wounds inside a corner unit on the first floor of the apartment building. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said deputies made contact with the subject, identified as 37-year-old Mario Alejandro Ramirez, who was suffering from a self-inflicted wound. Deputies struggled with him while applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

Deputies were able to control Ramirez and take him into custody, detectives said.

7DroneForce captured part of the complex cordoned off with crime scene tape.

On the ground, 7News cameras captured crime scene investigators near a stairwell and outside a first floor unit.

Residents say they are shocked to hear what happened.

“I see like a body laying on the floor and I was like, ‘What’s going on?'” said an area resident.

“Definitely shocked to hear that,” said a man.

Neighbors said they witnesses investigators walking around the apartment complex throughout the night and were asked questions by the officials.

“Asking us if we heard anything, if we knew the neighbors and such,” said the resident.

Paramedics with Oakland Park Fire Rescue transported Ramirez to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment. His condition is unknown.

Crime scene investigators spent hours investigating the first floor unit, as they collected evidence and attempted to piece together the circumstances that led up to the stabbing.

Early Tuesday morning, the medical examiner’s office responded to the scene and removed the woman’s body from the apartment unit on a stretcher.

Ramirez now faces one count of murder in the second degree.

Detectives have not released information on how the two were related as the investigation continues.

According to Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies, the theft occurred on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 30, near Commercial Boulevard and North Ocean Drive in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.

Deputies shared video of the incident, showing a man with tattoos on his arms walking up to the home and stealing packages from the mailbox and the floor of the front porch.

“Detectives are hoping that by releasing this video, someone will recognize the thief or recognize the vehicle that was involved in this theft,” said BSO spokesperson Miranda Grossman.

The homeowner, Hayder Aldahwi, was home when the first package swipe took place. But then he said, the man returned a short time later and targeted his front porch a second time.

It was all caught on his Ring doorbell camera.

“How stupid can you be? Really honest to God. I mean, knowing, ‘OK, there’s a camera,'” he said.

Hayder and his wife Angelina said that inside the stolen packages were his granddaughter’s Mickey Mouse glasses and a litter box. One of the packages was theirs while the other was their neighbors.

However, they say it’s not about the value of the items, but rather the act itself.

“What are you going to get out of it?” said Hayder. “At this time of the year, for somebody to do that, it’s really sad.”

“The best part is all he got was wet cat litter and a pair of sunglasses for my granddaughter,” said Angelina.

Deputies say they are looking for the man and a gray SUV.

They also want to warn others to be careful so something similar doesn’t happen to them.

“It’s the holiday season right now, and so there are a lot of deliveries happening around town, and it serves as a good reminder for people to take extra precautions when they’re getting their packages,” said Grossman. “It happens so much, unfortunately and it’s very frustrating to watch.”

The couple also wants someone out there to recognize the man.

“I hope that his family members or coworker or neighbor says, ‘I know this creep,'” said Angelina. “It makes me scared because the gentlemen was so brazen to come to our house twice.”

If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

7Skyforce hovered above the scene were authorities say an elderly driver accidentally hit the accelerator and crashed inside of a Mattress Firm, located at 5620 West Sample Road.

Video of the scene showed the vehicle smashed through the business with the entrance to the business suffering some damage and one of the windows nearby also broken.

There also appeared to be several mattresses scattered across the floor inside the store and another mattress and frame in a parking spot in front of the business.

Margate Police say the driver is OK.

The calls describe a hectic scene as several people tell authorities a tow truck driver took off with a vehicle that still had a child inside as the girl’s father chased the truck through the parking lot outside of Bistro Creole Restaurant on West Oakland Park Boulevard, Sunday afternoon.

“They jacked the car up and pulled off as the dad was trying to tell the tow truck driver there’s a kid in the car,” one caller said. “He did not care. He proceeds to drive off into the middle of the highway.”

According to authorities, the girl’s father had parked his car and walked into the restaurant for about 2 minutes to pick up a takeout order.

Surveillance video from inside the restaurant shows the moment he sees the tow truck pull up in front of his car, then runs outside.

Within seconds, the driver hooked up his car and was gone.

“Oh, his kid’s in there,” a witness is heard saying in cell phone video showing the father chase after the truck.

Surveillance footage from outside the plaza shows the father attempting to grab the handle of his vehicle, appearing to open it just before the truck speeds off.

Court documents say the father told police he saw his daughter fall out of the vehicle and that he “immediately ran into traffic, picked up his daughter from the middle of West Oakland Park Boulevard, and moved her to safety.”

“And the little girl fell out of the truck, in the middle of the road,” a caller told dispatchers.

“Did she fall and hurt herself?” the officer asked.

“Cars were coming out, and the tow truck kept driving and kept going,” she said.

One caller told authorities she attempted to help the girl calm down as other drivers stopped to check on her.

“This just happened. Everybody is pulling over to help the little girl, and I opened my door so that she could lie down,” the caller said.

She then heard trying to soothe the girl, who was asking where her dad was.

The tow truck driver, later identified as 34-year-old Sergio Suarez, was taken into custody.

Bodycam video from later that day showed officers telling the father that Suarez had been arrested and returning the keys to his vehicle.

The father told officers his daughter is expected to be OK after suffering some minor scrapes and bruises.

Suarez has been charged with child neglect.

7News was there when he bonded out of jail on Monday night.

Always Towing in Pembroke Park, the company Suarez works for, has not commented on the arrest.

The driver of the tow truck, Sergio Suarez, was seen quickly lifting the car that was parked and towing it away, Sunday, apparently without checking whether there was anyone inside.

Sunrise Police detectives said the car was parked in front of the Bistro Creole Restaurant on West Oakland Park Boulevard.

Suarez posted bond on Monday after being charged with child neglect without great bodily harm.

“This is one that stuck out to me this morning. He towed a vehicle, allegedly, without checking whether or not there was anybody in the vehicle,” Broward Circuit Court Judge Corey Friedman said.

A court document states the driver and father of the young girl parked the car for and went inside the restautant for about two minutes. When he noticed his car was about to be towed, he ran outside to alert Suarez that his daughter was inside.

The surveillance video showed the very moment the white tow truck sped away with the dark colored sedan.

Within seconds, the young girl’s father tried to stop the driver, as he frantically chased the truck out of the camera’s frame.

Cellphone video from a witness shows another angle of the father chasing after the truck.

“Oh, his kid’s in there,” the witness is heard shouting.

A woman who did not want to be identified told 7News she saw it all happen.

“The [tow truck] driver is speeding, and the dad is behind, screaming, ‘My daughter is in the car, my daughter is in the car, my daughter is inside,’ and he didn’t stop,” she said.

The court document states the child in the vehicle then jumped out of the vehicle in the middle of the road.

The father told police he saw his daughter fall out of the vehicle and that he “immediately ran into traffic, picked up his daughter from the middle of West Oakland Park Boulevard, moved her to safety,” the court document states.

Suarez, 34, works for Always Towing in Pembroke Park.

Another driver who spoke with 7News said she found herself in a similar situation at the same restaurant.

“So many people have experienced the same thing out there; they have a huge problem with it,” she said. “And I ran out and said, ‘Hey, I’m right here,’ you know, so they just do a partial hookup to get it far away from you, and you’re pretty much running down the street.”

The driver said she was pregnant at the time this happened to her.

“At this point, I was seven months pregnant, right, and that did not stop him from taking the car,” she said.

After seeing footage of Sunday’s incident, she went on to say she was saddened to see how it unfolded.

“It was really sad. I mean, I’m surprised because they’re very ruthless out there. They don’t care if there’s a child out there, if you’re seven months pregnant, they’ll take your car,” she said.

Officer-worn bodycam video shows the moment a police officer returned the keys of the towed vehicle to the father and informed him Suarez had been taken into custody.

“The guy got arrested. Those are your car keys, I parked your car in a spot,” the officer said.

The father told officers his daughter would recover from the ordeal.

Meanwhile, witnesses hope something like this doesn’t happen again.

“They got to hold him accountable, that’s all; because with human beings, when we’re dealing with people, especially a little girl, the situation could’ve been worse, and I think we have to hold them accountable,” a witness said.

In court Monday, Suarez’s attorney defended his actions.

“He advised me he checked the vehicle three times before he towed it. There was no child inside. He also had a partner, whom he called the spotter. He had the spotter also look at the vehicle, and that’s why he said he doesn’t know how this came about,” the attorney said.

The judge pushed back on the assertion.

“He admitted that he didn’t look at the vehicle, and I think it’s also on surveillance,” said Friedman.

Monday night, Suarez was tight-lipped as he bonded out of jail. Friedman ordered him to avoid contact with the victim and refrain from driving until further notice.

As for the little girl, police said she suffered minor injuries to both arms and her right calf.

7News contacted the tow company multiple times to learn more about their side of the story, but they did not wish to comment.

Sunrise Police told 7News that they can’t provide information on whether the father will be facing any charges for leaving his daughter unattended, as it remains an active investigation.

7News cameras captured Sergio Suarez walking out of the Broward County jail still wearing his towing uniform and not saying a word to the cameras about the charge against him.

Hours before he bonded out, Suarez made his first court appearance about what witnesses say was a terrifying tow that took another turn.

“This is one that stuck out to me this morning. He towed a vehicle, allegedly, without checking whether or not there was anyone in the vehicle,” said Broward judge Corey Friedman.

According to police, Suarez is accused of towing a car with a child inside on Sunday.

Detectives say the car was parked in front of the Bistro Creole restaurant in Sunrise.

A court document says the driver and father of the young girl parked the car for roughly two minutes and went inside. When he noticed his car was about to be towed, he ran outside to alert Suarez that his daughter was inside.

“He ran to the driver’s side window, banged on the window, and yelled multiple times that his daughter was inside the vehicle,” read the report.

The father then told responding officers that Suarez sped away, despite his continued yells to stop, leaving the parking lot with his young daughter in the car.

The report goes on to say the father chased the tow truck to the main road, yelling the entire time. Seconds later, he saw his daughter fall out of the car and onto the road.

That’s when the document says he “…immediately ran into traffic, picked up his daughter from the middle of West Oakland Park Boulevard and moved her to safety.”

Police said Suarez kept driving away, despite the girl falling out of the car and her father’s race to rescue her.

According to Sunrise Fire Rescue, the young girl suffered minor injuries to both of her arms and her right calf and was taken to Broward Health Medical Center for further evaluation.

Authorities called All-Ways Towing & Storage in Pembroke Park to have Suarez return to the area.

When Suarez returned, police say he tried to drop off the car away from them quickly and tried to flee.

But he wasn’t able to get far, as he was swiftly arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm.

In bond court, Suarez’s defense attorney argued that this is not the whole story.

“He advised me he checked the vehicle three times before he towed it. There was no child inside. He also had a partner, whom he called the spotter. He had the spotter also look at the vehicle, and that’s why he said he doesn’t know how this came about,” said the attorney.

Suarez was told to avoid contact with the victim and refrain from driving until further notice.

7News reached out to the tow trucking company, but the person who answered the phone hung up.

With just a day left until the “Greatest Show on H2O” makes its way down the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale, several yacht owners are putting the finishing touches on unique designs on Friday afternoon.

Ricardo Flores gave 7News a sneak peek of what his boat will put on display, featuring two motorcycles inside a round, metal cage.

“They’re gonna be inside that cage, riding around, crisscrossing and zig-zagging all different directions while the barge goes down the parade route,” said Flores.

Flores was joined by other boat and yacht owners going through final preparations as they get ready to put on a dazzling show as they follow a 12-mile route along the waterway.

Rob Kornahrens and his team from Nova Southeastern University were putting up intricate ocean-themed decorations to ensure they made a perfect entrance.

“We’re finishing off the finishing touches, getting everything ready for Saturday night,” said Rob Kornahrens. “We’re super excited. This is our second year in the parade. Last year, we killed it. This year, we upped the ante a little bit.”

Jeff Tuori is one of the many people with tickets to watch the parade.

“Ronnie, the caretaker of the Airbnb, said, ‘Hey, there’s this great Saturday night light show, boat show you got to go down,'” said Tuori.

Tuori traveled to South Florida with some friends from Michigan and said he’s excited to experience the show.

“I think we’ll find a spot to watch it from and be hooting and hollering as I assume people on the boats are probably doing the same,” said Tuori. “We’re looking forward to it.”

Event organizers are promising this year’s show will feature several big surprises.

With such big surprises in store, officials decided to kick off the parade earlier this year.

“We decided, because Santa Claus was flying in early from the North Pole, to put him, not only first, but also start the parade at 6 o’clock as opposed to 6:30. That way, all the little ones get to see Santa,” said Winterfest President and CEO Lisa Scott-Founds.

This year’s theme for the parade is “Yacht Rock of Ages.”

Scott-Founds says there will be plenty to see, including fan favorites and new crowd-pleasers.

“We have an EDM, electric dance music, happening this year. We’ve got a Junkanoo band, which we have never had a Junkanoo band, like, lighting up the shores and celebrating the Bahamas,” she said.

Boaters said the evening festivities will be exciting, and they’re glad to be part of the spectacle.

“To be part of the Winterfest Boat Parade, that’s an absolute honor,” said Flores.

The pre-show for the parade will begin at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, with the main event starting at 6:00 p.m.

Officials also want to remind drivers that several bridges and waterways will be closed ahead of the parade.

For more information on closures, click here.

According to representatives from the school district, Henry McNabb and Brenton Hankerson are accused of improperly using district facilities for their own profit.

Arrest affidavits say both men hosted events on several campuses, including Blanche Ely High School, Coral Springs High School, and Hollywood Hills, on several different dates without going through the proper channels to rent out the gyms. Instead, they entered into private agreements with outside basketball associations.

According to the affidavit, both coaches “…benefited financially from these private agreements while exposing the district to severe liability and safety concerns.”

The alleged crimes took place between April and June, according to the arrest affidavit.

Both men are well-known coaches in Broward County.

One of those people who knows at least one of them is Delvin King, the Executive Director and Principal of a private school in Pompano Beach. He shared body camera video with 7News of his interaction with deputies after he called 911 to report an incident that happened in May involving McNabb.

According to King, he rented out the large gym at Blanche Ely for a high school graduation ceremony. He arrived, set up early, and then left. When he returned, he said he found an ongoing basketball tournament that he says was not supposed to be happening.

“There were a lot of people there, they were collecting money at the door, all of my chairs were moved, the decorations were messed up, they actually damaged some decorations,” he said.

He said the school’s assistant principal told him he was the only one allowed in the gym.

“He said, ‘Nobody should be on that campus. You’re the only one who has a rental in the gym. There should be Nobody there,” said King.

King said McNabb was the only one of the two men arrested whom he saw that day.

“I wanted to speak out because it isn’t fair that our graduation and our things had to be destroyed because someone wanted to make a personal gain,” he said.

Authorities say these are two separate cases, and it remains unclear if they were working together on the alleged scheme.

In a statement to 7News, district officials said:

“Both employees in question were arrested by Broward Schools Police as part of an investigations into the improper use of district facilities for personal gain. The Superintendent maintains a zero-tolerance stance on public corruption, and both employees will be subject to termination.”

In his court appearance earlier on Thursday, McNabb’s attorney told the judge he is a model citizen.

“He has significant ties to the community. He is a resident of Broward County, has been one for his entire life,” said an attorney.

When Hankerson appeared in front of the judge early Thursday, he shook his head in disbelief when he was read his charges.

“One count organized scheme to defraud $20,000 or less and grand theft in excess of $10,000, but less than $20,000,” said the judge.

The judge issued a stay-away order against McNabb from all Broward County schools.

Officers responded on Monday afternoon to reports of the shooting in the area of Northwest 70th Avenue and 16th Street, according to a series of posts on the department’s X account.

According to detectives, there was a fight between two juveniles, resulting in one of them being shot.

But the video, shared with 7News, shows a group of teens beating each other up in a street fight in the middle of a residential neighborhood. At one point, some of the fighters even body-slam one another against the ground.

“All the kids, you could tell, were coming to a specific location, which was this corner right here,” said witness Robert Cogdill.

“Everybody was fighting over there, everybody like – phew, it was crazy, man,” said a young witness.

In the middle of a fight, a gunshot was heard.

“All I heard was a gunshot. I got low,” said the young witness.

Home surveillance footage captured audio of the gunshot, as well as the group of teens scattering in different directions, including the injured victim.

“Everybody was running and screaming, and everybody kept saying, ‘Gil got shot, Gil got shot,'” said another young witness. “I just know he was lying down right there, and people were crying and stuff.”

One witness said she saw the group of teens running around the neighborhood after the gunshot. Then she saw the victim in front of her home with blood coming down the right side of his back.

“I heard a gunshot, and when we went to look, we saw kids running around, and they said that someone got popped, and when we did come outside, we ended up seeing two boys walking and, I guess, it was the person who got shot,” said the witness. “And we were telling him that he needs to sit down before the bullet does move anywhere, and then that’s when the ambulance came, and he was laying there.”

Cellphone showed the injured person being loaded onto a stretcher before paramedics took him to a local hospital. Police said he’s expected to be OK.

As officers investigated the shooting, they placed a multi-colored backpack in a large brown paper bag as evidence.

Detectives said the fight did not occur on school grounds and took place after school hours.

Police said Plantation Middle School was placed on lockdown as a precaution, adding there was no threat to the school. The lockdown was later lifted.

Witnesses said the hospitalized victim was awake when first responders arrived at the scene.

Area residents said the fights in their neighborhood need to stop.

“Sending a lot of prayers to the family,” said neighbor Maria Cuenca.

Cuenca, who lives close to where the brawl turned into a shooting, said she wants to see more security and officers patrolling the neighborhood to feel safer.

“I think we should do better as a community, because it’s very hard, it’s very painful to see, to live in this neighborhood and know that, unfortunately, at dismissal time, you have to kind of wonder, like, is there going to be another fight?” she said.

“It just needs to stop, like why?” said Cogdill.

As of Tuesday afternoon, police have not released any information about who may have pulled the trigger and whether or not they are looking for a shooter, as they continue to investigate.

If you have any information on this shooting, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Until Dec. 15, officials say they are waiving adoption fees to make it easier for families thinking about adoption to save money and welcome new pets into their homes. The only fee residents must pay is a $25 registration fee that the county requires.

“Our populations in our shelters are staying at full capacity or over capacity, pretty much all the time now. And we’re just looking for all the different ways to try to get people to come in and bring these pets back into their families,” said Director of Broward County Animal Care Doug Brightwell.

Officials hope these calls for action prompt people to either adopt or foster as the county deals with overcrowded shelters.

“The sterilization is done, vaccinations are done, the microchip is done. Everything is done, and they are ready to go home and be a permanent part of your family,” said Brightwell.

They say the issue is due to a high number of large dogs and cats coming in, especially during the holiday season, and to not enough adoptions.

“Since COVID, the number of animals that are coming in every year seems just to continue to increase year over year, but the adoption rate and rescue rates are not keeping up at the same rate,” said Brightwell.

While the issue of overcrowded shelters is a nationwide problem, Broward officials are trying to tackle it on a local level.

“This is the time and place to do it because we’ve got a lot of great dogs and cats who are ready to go home. They just need you to come and make that match and make them part of your family,” said Brightwell.

Officials say that because of overcrowding, animals could get very stressed and anxious.

“It’s very difficult because you can only take care of animals that you have the adequate space, staff, and medical capacity to care for, so you can’t warehouse animals just for the sake of warehousing them because you have to be able to provide the appropriate level of care, needs, medical, food, everything,” said Brightwell.

The shelter is open seven days a week with some exceptions.

For information on adopting, fostering or supporting shelter pets, click here or call 954-357-9758.

Available pets can be viewed here.

7News cameras captured demonstrators, most of them concerned residents of the Upper Keys, as they held up signs in front of the Islamorada Public Library Branch, late Thursday morning.

The protest takes place after a woman who was driving through Key Largo when she was stopped by federal agents, violently pulled from her car and briefly detained.in front of Pink Plaza at Mile Marker 103.4, early Wednesday morning.

“It is outrageous,” said protester Dr. Susana May.

Cellphone video recorded by Miami Herald reporter David Goodhue captured the tense moments when federal agents, most of them with their faces covered, pulled the screaming woman out of her Toyota Corolla.

“I’m a U.S. citizen. Please help me!” the woman shouted as she was placed in handcuffs. “This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?”

Goodhue spoke with 7News via video call hours later.

“It looked like [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol, with the local sheriff’s office doing some backup,” said Goodhue.

The protesters who came together in Islamorada said the incident left them with some concerning questions.

“Why did they pull her over? She wasn’t doing anything wrong. What made them pull her over?” said May.

Patty Simonetta, one of the protest’s organizers, also weighed in on the woman’s detainment.

“She was screaming for help. She was screaming that she’s an American citizen, and it didn’t seem to matter,” she said.

“This is America. It looked like the secret police in a Gestapo-like country,” said May.

Demonstrators on Thursday took their concerns to U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody’s office hours in Islamorada.

“This is not the America that we grew up in,” said a protester.

Speaking with 7News via video call, Goodhue described the traffic stop that he captured on video.

“I think they’re asking her for her ID. Didn’t appear like she had her identification on her, and then, after a while, things got rough, as you can see,” he said.

In a statement to 7News, CBP said:

“…During a traffic stop, a U.S. citizen, who was driving her illegal alien boyfriend’s car, refused to comply with repeated lawfully given orders by law enforcement to identify herself. She was removed from the vehicle and briefly held while her identity was confirmed, she was promptly released once her identity was confirmed…”

Responding to the incident, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement:

“We see far too many disgusting, unwarranted acts of violence against victims who are clearly being racially profiled by ICE since Trump abandoned due process just to terrorize our communities. It’s a repulsive violation of rights, and it shows how badly we need to hold the Trump Administration and its federal agents accountable for physical abuse and violating the law instead of enforcing it.”

7News is independently working to obtain more information about the woman.

A spokesperson for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called “to help keep the peace and keep traffic flowing.” They directed the rest of 7News’ questions to federal authorities.

“They pulled her out, cuffed her. She was screaming. At one point, she said she’s a U.S. citizen, and then they put her into one of their SUVs, and then about 10 minutes later, they let her go,” said Goodhue.

“We’re here for that woman, whoever she is and whatever she needs,” said Simonetta, “and we’re all here to speak out to Ashley Moody to say please, if you really care, help us, speak up, say something. This isn’t right.”

These demonstrators are not alone. Protesters packed public meetings to condemn the presence of ICE in New Orleans and Minneapolis, as the Trump administration continues to crack down on immigration.

The Miami Herald reported similar enforcement has been happening over the past several weeks in the same area where the woman was stopped.

Federal officers arrested 14 people during Wednesday’s immigration enforcement in Key Largo.

Cellphone video recorded by Miami Herald reporter David Goodhue captured the moments federal agents, most of them with their faces covered, pulled the screaming woman out of her stopped car in front of Pink Plaza at Mile Marker 103.4, early Wednesday morning.

“I’m a U.S. citizen. Please help me!” the woman yelled on the video. “This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?”

The woman continues screaming as agents place handcuffs on her.

Dozens of drivers on their early morning drive witnessed the takedown of the woman. One of them was Goodhue, who spoke to 7News later in the day about the disturbing detainment.

“I think they’re asking her for her ID. Didn’t appear like she had her identification on her, and then, after a while, things got rough, as you can see,” he said.

The video showed a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy directing traffic as federal agents surrounded the woman’s Toyota Corolla.

“It looked like [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol, with the local sheriff’s office doing some backup,” said Goodhue.

7News is independently working to obtain more information about the woman, the reason for her detainment and which agency detained her.

“They pulled her out, cuffed her. She was screaming. At one point, she said she’s a U.S. citizen, and then they put her into one of their SUVs, and then about 10 minutes later, they let her go,” said Goodhue.

Ultimately, authorities allowed the woman to leave in her own car after she sat in an agent’s patrol car for a few minutes.

According to The Miami Herald, similar enforcement operations have been happening in the area for a few weeks.

“I saw federal agents from several agencies this morning in Key Largo pulling people over from Mile Marker 104 down to the Pink Plaza, where this happened,” said Goodhue.

The reporter said the arrest he captured on camera was powerful to see.

“I don’t want to, you know, we’re reporters and want to stay objective, but just happened to be there when that happened. I mean, it was pretty powerful to see, especially when it turned out, in the end, they really didn’t have any reason to detain her,” said Goodhue.

7News has reached out to several agencies, including ICE, CBP and the Department of Homeland Security, to obtain more information about this detainment. As of Thursday afternoon, none of these agencies have responded.

MCSO said in a statement to 7News that they were part of this traffic stop, but only “to help keep the peace and keep traffic flowing.” They added the stop was conducted by federal agents.

There is a planned protest in front of the Islamorada Public Library Branch scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

7News cameras captured children and their families enjoying the multiple events offered, such as ice skating, pictures with Santa Claus, live performances, sledding and other holiday activities.

“It was fun, but the second push was a little bit hard,” said Noah Omar, who went sledding.

The event has occurred annually for six decades. This year, it took place between Southeast Sixth and 11th avenues.

“We’re right here on the riverfront at Las Olas Fort Lauderdale. Come check us out,” said a participant at the event.

Another attendee at the event, Allan Montgomery, shared his excitement as well.

“It’s a great start to the holiday season,” he said.

Others enjoyed the food and drinks at the event, with drinks being a major highlight.

“It’s actually called Santa’s Little Helper. It’s clarified strawberry yuzu milk punch, and it’s topped off with a matcha foam,” said Damien Castillo, head bartender at Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse.

Tabitha Oshea, a server at the event, shared that serving drinks helped attendees feel happy.

“And we’re serving some hot chocolate, just to get into that Christmas spirit,” she said.

The Vice President of the Las Olas Association, Jodi Tanner, shared her thoughts on the event as well.

“This is why we do this. We put this on for the community to enjoy the festivities of the holidays and start the holidays off.,” she said.

The free event ran from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“Every year we come here because it’s the best,” said a participant at the event.

Organizers said the one-day event got people into the Christmas spirit, and they have already begun to plan next year’s event.

Hundreds of holiday shoppers waited outside the BrandsMart USA in Opa-locka before doors opened, Thursday.

“We’re stealing deals, let’s get it,” said shopper Kevin Bowe.

“Today is really our Super Bowl — the doorbusters and the biggest savings of the years,” said Hansel Lopez, BrandsMart USA’s vice president of marketing.

Lopez said his role feels more important than ever to deliver affordable deals for customers following a year-long struggle across the country with rising inflation concerns, tariff uncertainty and shaky consumer confidence at times.

“Especially now with economic uncertainty, and certain households, we kind of want to be that supports to families that are looking for a good deal,” he said.

Despite the economic uncertainty, consumer spending is up 8% compared to last year, reaching nearly $79 billion just in the month of November.

Shoppers like Bowe snagged what they were looking and still have other deals in their sights.

“Still doing a lot of shopping,” said Bowe. “It ain’t over yet.”

According to Lopez, some deals offered by BrandsMart USA on items like kitchen appliances, laptops, tablets, furniture and even e-bikes are like a “double steal.”

“We have two washer-dryers: one Whirlpool, one Samsung. If you buy the washer, you get the dryer for free. Like, come on, you can’t beat that,” said Lopez.

With deals as enticing as that, Jacob Peralta and his family couldn’t turn it down.

“We’re trying to get as much stuff as we can,” said Peralta.

Shoppers flocked to Miami International Mall in Doral throughout the day.

“I’m Christmas shopping, mostly for my kids,” said a woman. “So far, I’ve found some 50% off, 30% off, some pretty good deals.”

“I love spending my money,” said a shopper.

Each store was packed throughout the day.

The mall was so crowded that there was traffic to get in and out of the parking lot, making it tricky for shoppers to find parking.

“For me, shoot, it took 35 minutes to find something,” said one shopper.

Despite the massive crowds, officials with the National Retail Federation predict less people throughout the US will be hitting stores this year compared to last year.

With concerns of rising inflation, experts suggest using what’s called a “1% rule” when making a list of things to buy.

“Take 1% of your annual income and make that the ceiling, so the upper boundary, for the entire season. If you make $70,000, that’s $700 for everything, so for gifts, travel, food, hosting,” said Nicole Lapin, the host of Money Rehab.

Officials across South Florida are expecting around 400,000 people to visit Dolphin Mall between Black Friday and the end of sales for Cyber Monday.

The manager of Perfume Plus Outlet hopes some of those visitors drop by his store.

“For Black Friday, we are running a special 10% off and certain products we have the lowest price in the mall,” the manager said.

Meanwhile, others hit the stores with a different purpose, focusing on what they can get to give to others who need it more.

Julie Jones was shopping for supplies to send to Hurricane Melissa survivors.

“These are going to Jamaica for the victims of Hurricane Melissa. When I saw they were open today 4 to midnight, I said, ‘That’s it. I’ve got to go and get this stuff. We’ve got to be able to help,'” she said.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect deal or you want to enjoy the popular magical snowfall at Dolphin Mall, shoppers should expect large crowds throughout the weekend.

For more information on events happening at Dolphin Mall, click here.

According to Broward Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting near the 5800 block of North Andrews Avenue, just before 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday.

Upon arrival, investigators learned that a male juvenile had been shot.

7News cameras captured detectives taping off a parking lot near an Extended Stay America hotel as they searched for clues.

Oakland Park Fire Rescue transported the victim to an area hospital for treatment. Officials said his injuries are not life-threatening, and he is expected to be OK.

Authorities have not specified whether the victim is a child or a teenager.

It’s unclear what led up to the shooting, as the investigation continues.

If you have any information on this shooting, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

According to Miami Gardens Police, officers were conducting a routine radar enforcement when they attempted to pull over a vehicle near Northwest 159th Street and 22nd Avenue in Miami Gardens, just after 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said the subject hit the gas, narrowly passing one officer who was forced to move out of the way and heading directly toward a second officer.

“They attempted to stop a vehicle, at which time the vehicle accelerated. The first officer was able to get out of the way; the second officer was unable to get out of the way in time as a car was speeding toward him,” she said.

Investigators said the second officer discharged his firearm in response, causing the subject to flee from the area.

Authorities found the subject’s car abandoned in the area of Northwest 151st Street and Railroad Drive a short time later.

Their investigation shut down parts of 22nd Avenue for several hours as they searched the area.

Neighbors told 7News in Spanish they heard the gunshots.

One woman said she was scared after hearing three or four shots.

“It sounded really close,” she said. “Once I came out, there was so many police officers out there.”

Officers said nobody was hurt in the incident.

In the meantime, crews have since towed the vehicle they believe belonged to the runaway driver.

No arrests have been made.

As is the case with all officer-involved shootings, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.

If you have any information on the subject’s whereabouts, or any information that could help detectives, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Officers responded around 8:35 p.m. Sunday to the 4700 block of Southwest 70th Terrace following reports of gunfire.

Inside the residence, they found two elderly adults suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Davie police.

One victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second, who had been taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, has since died, investigators said.

Neighbors say the woman living at the home had been suffering from a chronic illness for several years and her husband was struggling.

They say a hospice nurse had rushed to the home just before the shooting occurred.

Neighbors also said the couple had grown children, one who would visit often to cut their grass.

Authorities have not confirmed any details about the couple or what led up to their deaths.

Police said they are not releasing the victims’ names and that there is no threat to the community.

No additional persons of interest are being sought.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue units responded to the 2700 block of Southeast 21st Street on Friday evening.

According to officials, a 37-foot speed boat missed the cut and drove up onto the beach right by the jetty.

Three people were on board, but thankfully nobody was hurt.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident.

Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Last month, officers stopped Passha Davis near State Road 7 and told her they were investigating a shoplifting case that had occurred at the Dollar Tree across the street and had a description of a possible subject.

As they stopped her, police say she was trying to hide what appears to be stolen items from the store.

Footage captures Davis standing handcuffed in front of a police cruiser as she speaks to the officers.

During the interaction, Davis repeatedly asks the officers why she is being detained, and she wants to know the law and more information on the incident.

Video shows officers explaining the process to her. They ask her for her name, which she refuses to give.

“Do you have ID on you?” asked police.

“No, actually someone stole it at the bus terminal yesterday,” said Davis.

“I do need to gather your information,” an officer says.

“Without even making sure if I’m even the person?” said Davis.

“Uh, you matched it…” said the officer.

“I was not at the scene. Whatever you’re saying, I’m not there,” said Davis.

“OK,” said the officer.

“You’re picking a random person based on [a description.] That’s not fair. No, I’m not giving you my information,” said Davis.

“I’m picking you because you match the description to the tee, including the orange socks,” said the officer.

Officers say they saw Davis trying to hide some of the stolen merchandise.

Another video shows a female officer conducting a pat-down of Davis.

“I’m going to do a pat down, and we’re going to move on with our lives. Since she’s refusing to identify herself, which is a crime,” said the officer.

Dollar Tree decided not to pursue any charges for the alleged shoplifting.

But officers still arrested Davis following their chat and charged her with resisting without violence and false identification while being lawfully detained.

Days after her arrest, authorities issued a Missing Endangered notice for Davis’ 10-year-old daughter, Gabrielle Patricia Terrelonge. The child had last been seen in June.

Police say the child’s father learned about Davis’ arrest and became worried about his daughter, telling officers that Davis was her “sole caretaker.”

When asked about her daughter while behind bars, authorities say Davis said she had no idea and that the child should be with her father.

But the child wasn’t with anyone, and as of Thursday afternoon, no one knows where the child is.

Davis was additionally charged with child neglect.

“And despite different law enforcement agencies trying to find the child, nobody’s able to find the child?” said a Broward judge during her hearing.

“As of, your honor, my understanding as of now, including the FBI, the child is still missing,” said the assistant state attorney.

Authorities have now partnered with the FBI to gather more information about Terrelonge.

Anyone with information about Gabrielle’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov, or call the Margate Police Department at 954-972-7111 or 911.

Alexander and Serena Wurm were on their way to Montego Bay, Jamaica with critical supplies after the devastation from Hurricane Melissa when their Beech B100 crashed into a lake behind a home off Creekside Drive in Coral Springs, Monday.

Loved ones said Alexander, the founder of the Cayman Islands-based Ignite the Fire Ministry, and his 22-year-old daughter lived their lives for others.

On a somber Wednesday night, friends in the Cayman Islands held their own memorial service for the victims and shared heartfelt words for the two people who are gone too soon.

“It’s not how long they lived but what they did with their lives,” said a guest speaker.

Meantime, in Coral Springs, investigators brought crews to remove debris left behind in the crash, placing it on a flatbed to be analyzed.

It’s unclear why the plane crashed just minutes after it took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

Friends of Alexander said it wasn’t his first flight mission carrying supplies.

By Tuesday evening, residents placed flowers, creating a memorial to honor the father and daughter outside of the Windsor Bay neighborhood, where they crashed.

“The community wants to show the sorrow and share the devastation of it, and we just hope there’s some level healing at some point with the family,” said Myles Shell, who lives nearby.

The Wurms’ tragic deaths have united communities from South Florida to the Cayman Islands as they paid their respects to two people who spent their lives trying to help others.

A resident at the Windsor Bay neighborhood told 7News a candlelight vigil is planned for the weekend.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

According to court records, Daniel Curran was taken into custody on Wednesday. The 34-year-old appeared before Broward Circuit Court Judge Corey Friedman on Thursday.

Curran was charged with violating a domestic violence injunction and battery on a person 65 years of age or older

During the hearing, Trantalis, who is 72 years old, said he had opened the door to reconnecting with the suspect to some degree, but the encounter became violent.

“I thought maybe there was some way to rehabilitate Danny by trying to reconnect and hopefully steer him into counseling and mental health treatment, and I failed at that,” said Trantalis. “At the end, this past weekend, he threw me to the ground. He committed everything that’s in the information with regard to the violent act against me, and then I realized that there was no hope for this relationship.”

At some point, Trantalis called the police, and Curran was arrested.

In bond court, Trantalis told the judge he’s afraid of his former domestic partner.

“He has exhibited extreme violence and I can’t have him in my life anymore,” said Trantalis.

According to a domestic violence injunction filed by the mayor, “When [Curran] fails to take his medication, which is often, he becomes wild and violent!” The mayor added Curran “would smash objects, take out this knife and violently cut through things, as if I was next!”

The judge also ordered Curran to have no contact with the mayor, as well as refrain from returning to the location of the incident and possessing firearms, weapons or ammunition.

Curran bonded out of jail on Friday night and sprinted away from media cameras.

“Is there anything you want to say about the charges against you?” asked a 7News reporter as cameras captured Curran running.

“I love him,” he said.

“You love him? Despite everything?” said the reporter.

“No matter what. I always have and will love him,” he said.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office said they have “sent a request to the Governor’s Office for an executive assignment to have this matter handled by a State Attorney’s Office in another jurisdiction.”

Miramar Police responded to the 7600 block of Miramar Parkway to calls of a man harming the family pet and making threats toward his mother, Thursday night.

“The officers responded to a call here by the pet owner, and we did find traces of blood, and the animal passed away,” said Miramar Police Officer Janice McIntosh.

Officers say the dog, named Lucy, was found in the backyard of the home with puncture wounds around the neck.

The subject’s mother, who is the dog’s owner, was the one who called 911. Detectives said she’s had issues with her son before.

“You can imagine how distraught she is, and we’re just trying to understand, how did this happen? Why did this happen? So we’re trying to piece together everything,” said McIntosh.

Investigators called Broward County Animal Control to help with the scene.

7News cameras captured Animal Control crews carrying Lucy away from the home.

“It’s a defenseless animal. We are here to protect our pets, so when things like this happen, we really feel it,” said McIntosh.

An investigation is now underway into the incident.

The subject could possibly face an animal cruelty charge.

According to Margate Fire Rescue, seven to eight students were exposed on Wednesday to the edible snacks on campus.

Four of them were transported to a hospital, while the others were released to their parents.

All of the students are in stable condition and are expected to be OK.

Authorities said it is unclear what type of snacks the students ate, but preliminary indications suggest they contained marijuana.

In a statement, Broward County Public School officials said:

The school’s administration confirmed several students were treated and four students were transported for medical evaluation today after consuming candy or food believed to have been laced with an unknown substance. Out of an abundance of caution, emergency services were contacted immediately and students received appropriate care. School and District administrators are working with authorities to determine the source of the food and ensure student safety. Parents are reminded to speak to their child(ren) about not sharing or eating food or candy that does not come from home and to report anything concerning to a trusted adult.

Parents told 7News they received a note from the school informing them that some students were having trouble breathing.

Others said they were shocked to hear what had happened.

“Thank God they are fine, but it could’ve been worse,” said parent Shane Smith.

“That’s crazy, man. I hope all those kids are all right. These kids are exposed to a lot nowadays with the internet, so we got to be careful and watch what’s going on in their phones. Hopefully, they’re all right,” said parent Merrick Brown.

“I think it’s crazy. I don’t know how they get it or from where they get it, but it’s crazy. Wow,” said student Mariyah Brown. “Some people were saying, ‘Some kids had edibles or something like that,’ but I didn’t hear much about it.”

The incident remains under investigation.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the subjects targeted a pillar underneath the pier, at around 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Investigators said this was one of several such incidents, dating back to September, where the subject spray-painted the base of the pier with initials and designs.

Beachgoers told 7News the graffiti made the pier unappealing to visit.

“This is horrible what they’re doing. Like, why, it’s unnecessary,” said Jackie Miller. “This is, for us, our escape place, our happy place. We don’t need them to come and destroy it.”

Many said the actions of the people captured on video is maddening to see.

“These kids need to, I don’t know, they need to know better,” said Miller.

“It’s disgusting, unfortunately,” said Cindy Schwarz. “It’s sad.”

“I don’t believe in spray painting any public property without some sort of permission or anything,” said David Lawrence. “It’s not art.”

The Murphy family is visiting from Chicago to escape the cold weather and said they’re shocked nobody saw the young men and said anything.

“It’s upsetting that they think they’re able to get away with it and there’s gonna be no consequences or anything like that,” said Larry Murphy. “To do it in broad daylight, it’s just, ‘Hey, we really don’t care. there’s gonna be no punishment. It’s upsetting to see.”

“It’s a family-friendly thing here so you want everything to be nice, you know, no graffiti, no swearing a lot,” said Michael Murphy.

Deputies say they don’t know if any of the letters or designs have any meaning, but it’s been one of several incidents since September.

“This is a crime. They are vandalizing property, in this case, it’s city property,” said BSO spokesperson Carey Codd. “This is something where detectives want to try to nip this in the bud.”

The pier has undergone renovations and repairs over the years, including substantial damage caused by Tropical Storm Nicole in 2022, so authorities are taking this matter seriously.

“Mother nature is an unbelievable force. It is incredible the damage that we’ve gotten at the end of our pier,” said Bill Ganz, a former mayor for Deerfield Beach.

Detectives said city workers have since painted over the graffiti, and they continue to investigate the matter as possible criminal mischief.

If you have any information on this act of vandalism or the subjects’ whereabouts, call BSO Deerfield Beach Detective Jason Arellano at 954-250-4392 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Officials say 63-year-old Wisler Marcellus was taken into custody last week after DNA evidence linked him to a 2009 sexual battery case in Pompano Beach.

According to BSO, the attack happened around 3:30 a.m. on June 19, when a 36-year-old mother was asleep in her bedroom with her two children. Investigators said a man broke into the home through a window, held the woman at gunpoint and sexually assaulted her while her children slept nearby.

“This person was sexually assaulted while her kids were at home and it’s just traumatizing,” said Maritza Nuñez, a BSO crime analyst.

The suspect then fled with her purse, leaving behind DNA evidence.

Despite multiple efforts at the time, the case went cold for 16 years.

Earlier this year, detectives used new advanced DNA technology to reexamine evidence. A familial search conducted identified a possible relative of the suspect, leading investigators to Marcellus.

Detectives were able to obtain a DNA sample from Marcellus when he returned from Haiti to Miami on Oct. 20. That sample matched the DNA collected from the 2009 crime scene.

“We were able to do genealogy work on the DNA left behind in 2009 and they run the DNA profile through the Department of Corrections and, in this case, we found that relative,” said BSO Detective Andrew Gianino.

Eight days later, Marcellus was arrested and booked into the Broward County jail. He remains behind bars with no bond and faces charges of sexual battery with a weapon and armed burglary.

At a news conference on Thursday, detectives touted the law enforcement effort behind solving this case.

“We have solved the cold case after 38 years of intensive investigation,” said Davie Police Chief Steve Kinsey.

Decker’s body was found floating in a canal near the 3000 block of Flamingo Road on Oct. 3, 1987, with multiple stab wounds.

The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide caused by asphyxiation. Despite multiple suspects and years of investigation, the case went cold in the 1990s.

In 2021, Davie Police’s Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation, reexamined evidence, and partnered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Astrea Forensics in California, and Parabon NanoLabs.

That year, they placed billboards across the county asking for information.

However, detectives said using DNA extracted from hairs recovered from the scene, Chief Genealogist CeCe Moore built a genetic tree that led investigators to a suspect — Donald Lawless, born in 1925 in Ohio.

“We continued investigating and contacted experts to process DNA of hairs left behind on Marilyn Decker. A genetic tree was provided to us with a possible suspect. After lots of work, we had success and a suspect was identified,” said Kinsey.

Police said they determined Lawless lived in Florida, including in Davie, during the 1980s and had an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1940s.

Although he died and was cremated in 1995, investigators obtained DNA from a close relative and confirmed Lawless as the man responsible for Decker’s death, police said.

“Like you guys know, there’s a lot of technology that has changed and that has helped us in so many ways,” said Davie Police Detective Eddy Velazquez.

The Broward County State Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and agreed there was sufficient evidence to charge Lawless, officially closing the case after 38 years.

Detectives provided a younger picture of the suspect, who was in his 60s at the time of the murder.

Davie Police said they have remained in contact with Decker’s family, who have been informed that justice has finally been served.

The victim’s sister was present at Thursday’s news conference. She said their mother rarely spoke about the murder when she was alive, but always wanted to know who was responsible for the 28-year-old’s death.

“She kept saying, ‘I wish I found out who killed your sister. It’s not right what they did. They took her away from us and I wish I knew,'” said the sister.

She added she wishes Lawless would’ve paid for his crimes.

Police say Lawless may have been involved or responsible for other similar crimes across the country. They say an investigation into that possibility remains ongoing.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Breanna Evans was taken into custody on Wednesday, hours after the crash along the northbound lanes of the highway, just south of the Palmetto Expressway. The 26-year-old faces two counts of attempted murder, one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one count of shooting from a vehicle.

“She decided to shoot, just shoot on I-95, in the afternoon in South Florida,” the prosecutor said as Evans faced a judge, Thursday.

According to investigators, Evans opened fire on another driver in the northbound lanes of I-95 near Palmetto Park Road and Hillsboro Boulevard. The victim called 911 advising that he had been shot in the head.

“He got shot in the head, so that’s where the gun was pointed,” said the prosecution.

Prosecutors say Evans, who was driving a black SUV, was upset because a man driving in a box truck wasn’t driving fast enough in the fast lane on the highway.

“Her own admission, she cut him off because she doesn’t like people that don’t drive fast enough in the fast lane,” the prosecution said.

They say Evans had plenty of time to consider how to react to a slow driver.

“She had time to think, to reach for the gun, turn the safety off, point and shoot, and shoot the victim in the temple,” said the prosecution.

Authorities say the bullet grazed the driver of the box truck.

The driver has not been identified, but officials said he and Evans remained on the scene.

“Female appears to still be in her vehicle about 100 yards away from us,” said a dispatcher.

Traffic heading northbound was backed up for miles as investigators tried to determine what happened.

Evans’ lawyer told the judge she felt threatened behind the wheel.

“She was in fear, she really felt fear for her life,” said Evans’ attorney.

Prosecutors argued the entire situation was created by her own actions.

“It was her reckless driving that created the dynamic that caused those cars to come together,” said the prosecution.

Evans remains behind bars with no bond.

The man she was accused of shooting at is expected to be OK. A passenger that was also in the vehicle is also expected to be OK.

7Skyforce hovered above Florida Highway Patrol troopers as they investigated the incident on I-95 near Palmetto Park Road, Wednesday afternoon.

“I-95 northbound, just off the Palmetto. I-95, just off the Palmetto,” said a dispatcher.

As officers investigated the scene, officials shut down all northbound lanes, redirecting all traffic to exit at Hillsboro Boulevard.

According to dispatchers, a man called authorities, saying he had been shot and was involved in a crash.

“Caller advised that he was shot in the head and that he was in an accident,” said a dispatcher.

There appeared to be a box truck stopped on the side of the road, with a black SUV stopped further down the road.

The passenger window of the SUV appeared to be shattered, with a piece of glass appearing to be lodged in the door handle. There also appeared to be white paint marks along the right side of the car.

The box truck appeared to have a bullet hole near the driver’s side window.

The investigation caused major traffic headaches as drivers were diverted off the highway during rush hour.

Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed one man was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. BSO detecrives said they are investigating at the request of FHP.

The circumstances around the incident remain under investigation.

According to photos provided by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the two dogs were found inside of a filthy cage outside of a home along Northwest 18th Street with very little food, water or shelter from harsh weather.

Forty-five-year-old Daniel Gallumette appeared before a judge, Monday.

“Alright sir, good morning. You’re charged with one count, tormenting, depriving, mutilating, killing an animal,” said Judge Corey B. Friedman.

BSO deputies say they received multiple complaints from neighbors who saw the dogs inside the cage on the home’s driveway for several days.

According to investigators, the conditions for the dogs were so bad that they had no shelter from direct sunlight.

7News cameras captured the empty cage outside the home.

According to deputies, they say Gallumette refused to identify himself before being taken into custody.

He has since bonded out of jail.

The judge ordered Gallumette can’t own any pets until further notice.

“Medical and property orders are granted. Bond on count one will be $2,000, count two will be $500,” said Friedman. “I’m further ordering that he’s not to possess any animals until further ordered in court.”

As for the two dogs that were in the cage, Broward County Animal Care says they have taken both of them into their care.

The Category 5 storm is barreling toward Jamaica after wreaking havoc in Hispaniola. Heavy rain and landslides are sweeping the region, destroying homes, uprooting trees and knocking out power.

The system, which has already claimed at least three lives in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, is expected to make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday afternoon.

Jamaicans are preparing for the worst, as the storm surge is forecast to reach up to 13 feet.

“I worry about, you know, the Caribbean. This might be the worst one,” said a fisherman.

“I just take things easy. I don’t worry myself. As long as I have food, can eat, that’s the most important thing,” said another resident.

Homes across Jamaica are now boarded up. This past weekend, grocery store shoppers scrambled to grab essential items.

“I was hoping to get some bread; the shelves are empty,” said a shopper.

“There’s still a lot of people who, like, got paid late, so they’re rushing now to get items, food items,” said resident Gabrielle Maurice. “Lots of people really don’t have the financial means to get all that they would need.”

Miami resident Nicole Doyon said her girls trip to Jamaica with her friends has turned into a travel nightmare. Now she’s forced to hunker down.

“It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, especially when, like, everybody’s kind of panicking, trying to get on a flight, like every man for himself,” she said.

While Melissa is expected to be the strongest hurricane to impact Jamaica in more than 35 years, hundreds of miles away in South Florida, help is already on the way.

In Miramar, the city is collecting supplies at all its fire and police stations.

Over at the Global Empowerment Mission’s headquarters in Doral, volunteers spent the past several days filling boxes with necessities, including nonperishable food, hygienic items and water.

“The impact will be so difficult, with persons having to be without the necessary essential items, these family necessity kits will at least help them get through a few days,” said lead volunteer Marlon Hill.

At GEM, at least 5,000 relief boxes will go from its headquarters to those most impacted.

“Right now, our team’s gonna be out there, and then we are prepping to see what’s gonna happen after the impact,” said Billy Richardson, GEM’s Director of U.S. Warehousing. “After the impact, we’ll send some more people over, as well as our first plane load, which should be about 50,000 pounds of aid, followed by about six 640-foot containers by sea.”

Richardson said the supplies will be in the sky and on the way by the middle of the week.

“We have hygiene kits, food, water, laundry detergent, and all these things kind of help people when that first initial response is needed right after the storm,” he said.

Kanniga Anderson, who has his family back in Jamaica, said he’s concerned, but any help will go a long way.

“I don’t really feel good, but they got to take what they get, ’cause it’s a natural thing, right?” he said.

Bob Grant, owner of Hot Off The Grill, a Caribbean restaurant in Pembroke Pines, said he has family on the island and expects Jamaica to be hit hard by the storm.

“This is the first time a Category 5 has hit Jamaica, and there’s a lot of rural places where the infrastructure is not that great,” he said. “We are a praying country, and we pray, my family prays, everyone I know is praying for no loss of life and as least damage as possible.”

Grant’s restaurant highlights the beauty of Jamaica, a beauty that he hopes survives the powerful hurricane. He showed 7News several photos he has taken from the island that are hung on his restaurant’s walls.

“I call this the windows to Jamaica. That’s like Ocho Rios,” he said.

Fire and police stations in the City of Miramar are collecting items like tarps, flashlights and water bottles. If you would like to help, click here.

One volunteer, who did not want to be identified, told 7News said she’s helping those impacted because she’s gone through these storms in the past.

“I am from the Caribbean, and I have gone through a hurricane where I lost everything. It’s life-changing, you never forget,” she said.

In Lauderhill, city officials have launched a relief drive to support Caribbean residents in need. Their drop-off locations for essential supplies are as follows:

• Lauderhill City Hall – 5581 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderhill, FL 33313
• Veterans Park – 7600 NW 50th St., Lauderhill, FL 33351
• John Mullins Park – 2000 NW 55th Ave., Lauderhill, FL 33313
• Westwind Park – 4550 NW 82nd Ave., Lauderhill, FL 33351
• Lauderhill Historical Museum – 1080 NW 47th Ave., Lauderhill, FL 33313
• Joy’s Roti Delight – 1205 NW 40th Ave., Lauderhill, FL 33313

For more information on Melissa donations to GEM, click here. For information on community volunteering at GEM, click here.

Here is a list of the items GEM is collecting.

Nonperishable foods:

• Canned protein/vegetable/fruits/beans
• Snacks like dried fruits, protein bars, crackers, chips and beef jerky
• Cereals
• Ramen
• Meals ready to eat
• Cases of water

Temporary household needs:

• Generators
• Chainsaws/rotary rescue saws
• Tarpaulins/tarps
• Wheelbarrows
• Multi-use yard tools
• Cleanup kits/shovels/rakes/large industrial trash bags
• Bug repellent/mosquito repellent
• Work gloves (new)
• Sleeping bags (new)/military cots/cots (new)
• Air mattresses (new)
• Flashlights
• Batteries – AA/AAA/D
• Portable radios
• First aid kits
• LifeStraw water filters
• Solar-powered lightweight portable lanterns/portable emergency lighting/solar-powered devices
• Power banks (solar power)
• Gas cans for generators – all sizes

Detectives said the investigation began on Friday when concerned parents notified the safety officer at Renaissance Charter School about the threats posted on social media.

Police quickly identified the student responsible and arrested him on charges of written or electronic threats to kill and disruption of a school function.

The juvenile was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

“Threats made toward our local schools are not a joke and are fully investigated by our police department,” officials said in a statement, urging parents to talk with their children about the serious consequences of making false or threatening reports involving weapons.

It’s been a troubling trend of threats being made and weapons being brought to schools over the past week.

Earlier Friday, a weapon was recovered after a student brought it to Ferguson Senior High School in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Cellphone video appears to show deputies taking a student into custody at the school. It’s unclear if that student is facing any charges.

And this past week, faculty at SunEd High School in Margate say 18-year-old Jalen Lindo brought a loaded gun and knife on campus. Lindo was later arrested by police.

As for the charter school in Plantation, a parent told 7News they received an email, saying the threatening language was posted in an Instagram chat.

The school’s principal also thanked the parents who reported the concerning messages to authorities and said the student will not be allowed to return to the school.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 2700 block of West Atlantic Boulevard, at around 8:45 p.m. on Thursday.

7News cameras captured crime scene tape covering the gas station and deputies on the scene.

Deputies said that upon arrival, they found a man who had been shot. Paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, and he is expected to be OK.

Deputies established a perimeter and canvassed the area, but as of late Friday morning, no one has been taken into custody.

If you have any information on this shooting or the subject’s whereabouts, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Coral Springs Police said 51-year-old Rebecca Sanon, who served as PTO treasurer from August 2020 through mid-2024, was arrested after investigators determined she misappropriated more than $44,000 between 2021 and 2024.

An affidavit states the missing money was discovered in July 2024, when other PTO board members noticed discrepancies while preparing for a school event. Members had their suspicions that the treasurer had something to do with it.

According to the affidavit, “The fraudulent transactions include: ATM withdrawals, debit card purchases (Walmart, Publix, Uber, Florida Power & Light, and Sam’s Club, restaurants, etc), and Zelle transactions.”

Sanon appeared before a judge Tuesday, where her bond was set at $20,000. The judge found probable cause and ordered no contact with victims.

When 7News visited her home Wednesday to seek comment, Sanon declined to speak.

Parents of students at the school said they were stunned by the allegations.

“This is very, very sad to hear something like that,” one parent said.

Another parent added they were “irate” because the stolen money was meant to support the school community.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

The charter school declined to provide a comment to 7News.

Jalen Lindo appeared in a Broward County bond court on Wednesday, one day after the 18-year-old was arrested.

Investigators said the suspect brought a loaded gun and knife that had a blade longer than four inches to SunEd High School, located along Banks Road.

School staff said the gun had five rounds of ammo. They called police immediately.

While those in court cited his clean criminal history, the charges he’s facing are serious.

Lindo faces charges of possession of a firearm on school property, carrying a concealed firearm and interfering with school administrative functions.

“Court does find probable cause,” said the judge.

He was told once he bonds out of jail, he can not return to school.

It remains unclear whether Lindo was a student at the school or whether he randomly appeared on campus.

The school told 7News they had no comment on this case.

Ronison Exavier appeared before Broward Circuit Court Judge Corey Friedman on Tuesday morning.

“If and when you do bond out, sir, you’ll be on pretrial GPS Level 2,” said Friedman during the bond hearing. “I am ordering no victim contact; that applies to both the alleged victims in this matter, no contact with minors. I am granting an exception for family members, and I’m also ordering no presence. You can’t be on or about any Broward schools properties.”

According to the school’s website, the suspect is the Assistant Athletic Director.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, a student reported retrieving a lost item from Exavier’s office sometime in October when he “made comments toward her pertaining to her clothing and how she should modify it to show off her buttocks.”

The student then told officials he squeezed her buttocks, calling them “grab-able.”

The student said the incident made her have a panic attack in a restroom. She was overheard by another student who also had an interaction with Exavier this year and in 2024.

According to the second student, this past June, during a stretching session, “[Exavier] positioned himself behind her, got on his knees and pulled her body toward his.” Then, he “placed his groin/genital area against (the victim’s) buttocks for approximately 30 seconds.”

The school released a statement to parents that reads in part:

“The Head of School … was informed by a staff member of an allegation involving inappropriate touching by another staff member toward a student.”

The statement goes on to say that school administrators ‘notified the Florida Department of Children and Families and placed the employee in question on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.”

After meeting with the student who was allegedly targeted, as well as speaking with her family and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, “more allegations surfaced prompting further investigation,” the statement says.

The statement goes on to say:

“Highlands Christian Academy is fully cooperating with all investigative authorities and will continue to provide any necessary support to ensure a thorough and impartial process. The safety and well-being of our students remain a top priority.”

Tuesday afternoon, school officials issued a second statement that reads in part:

“Mr. Exavier has been terminated as an employee and is no longer permitted on the school campus or at any school-related activities.”

Prior to his arrests and based on social media posts, Exavier was congratulated by the school for being an alumni teacher and had called himself “blessed” for the opportunity to coach after a college career-ending injury.

He also posted several inspiration quotes on his social media page, calling coaching a “ministry,” going on to say “somewhere there’s a parent praying for a son or daughter to have a coach in their lives that will help them and love them like their own. Be that coach.”

Parents outside the school said they were concerned by his arrest.

“We’re praying for the victims. We have children so it could be anybody’s child. It’s unacceptable,” said parent Jessica Arellano.

“This is a Christian school. They should check everybody,” said parent Fernando Gomez.

“I’m happy that they reacted fast and quickly,” said parent Tara Albrecht.

Exavier is being held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano Beach on a $75,000 bond.

The 24-year-old faces a slew of charges, including three counts of soliciting to engage in sexual conduct and two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior.

BSO deputies are worried there could be additional victims.

If anyone has information about this investigation, they are urged to contact deputies immediately.

FLPD officers responded to a medical call in the area along the 1500 block of Northwest 15th Terrace in Fort Lauderdale.

The home has been blocked off by police tape since noon and a police presence remained on scene for several hours.

7News cameras captured police and crime scene investigators on scene. Investigators were seen taking pictures around the home.

Neighbors watched as officers dug through trash bins and took pictures. They told 7News they had no idea what happened.

“I came outside to throw the trash out. I saw about 30 police cars, caught me off guard. Caught everybody off guard. The whole neighborhood,” said a neighbor.

But others said detectives started asking those who live in the area if they knew anything.

“The police say this morning, the baby was born this morning and now the baby [is] dead. They don’t know how the baby died,” said a neighbor. “He came around asking, ‘Have we ever seen these people?’ like do we know anything about them? But these people never come outside. Windows closed, they don’t ever come outside.”

Off camera, area residents told 7News they weren’t aware someone was pregnant, but say they are sad about the death of the infant.

“I’m just sad about the baby. My heart go out for the baby though,” said neighbor.

As of Friday evening, detectives said they are investigating whether any foul play is involved.

Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

According to investigators, deputies responded around 7:20 p.m. on Oct. 11 to the Aldi grocery store at 3301 North State Road 7 following a reported battery.

Detectives said the suspect argued with the victim inside the store before stepping outside to wait for him.

Surveillance video shows that seconds after the victim exited the store with his dog, the suspect punched him in the face without warning.

The blow caused the victim to fall backward and strike his head, investigators said.

The attack has since left the victim in a coma and permanently damaged.

“You can see on that video the victim suffered a significant and severe injury. Imagine that happening to one of your family  members while they’re at the grocery store,” said BSO Spokesperson Carey Codd. “This is an unprovoked and a violent attack.”

BSO released surveillance images and video of the suspect as detectives continue their search. A flyer has also been posted at the entrance of the grocery store.

7News cameras also captured the reward flyer as a mobile billboard.

Deputies also released video of the victim’s brother telling authorities, off camera, the family is stunned.

“He’s a father, he’s a grandfather, he’s a brother, he’s a son and everybody is just devastated,” he said.

Now, the family wants justice for their loved one.

“This is a total nightmare for my family. We’re going through it,” he said. “You have a confrontation with somebody because you have a service animal and then the person stands outside and waits for you and cold cocks you and knocks you unconscious. Let us know who he is so somebody else doesn’t have to go through this nightmare.”

Anyone with information about the suspect’s identity is asked to contact BSO Detective Karina Hernandez at 954-321-4236 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch app.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS or online at browardcrimestoppers.org. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Video from inside Snoopy’s Smoke Shop off North Federal Highway shows the men ignoring the blaring alarm as they got what they needed and took off.

An employee, who didn’t want to show her face, tells 7News this type of crime hurts small businesses.

“It does take a lot of money out of everybody and it’s just like, even though they didn’t take much, it’s still over $1,000 dollars worth of products,” she said. “It does a lot of damage to us and then fixing the door too, it’s a lot of money.”

It appears this isn’t the first time this trio has struck a smoke shop. Surveillance cameras captured the same people wearing what looks like the same clothes at another smoke shop nearby. Detectives are still looking into it.

7News has reported about similiar break-ins earlier this week in Margate. Crooks broke into two smoke shops early Tuesday morning about an hour apart and two miles from each other.

The owner of Vapor Shark, one of the stores burglarized shared surveillance pictures of the people, he said, visited his shop and broke the front window.

“They had bins. It looked like a bank heist. They came and knew exactly what they were doing. They looked like professionals,” said the owner of Vapor Shark. “We’ve been here for 11 years but it hurts a lot, especially these days, it’s money. We don’t really need to be losing any of it.”

The second Margate business targeted was Smoke Shop off Royal Palm Boulevard. Thieves in this burglary also smashed the front window to get inside.

Authorities in both Margate and Fort Lauderdale have not said whether or not any of these burglaries are connected.

If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

The first theft happened at Vapor Shark, located at 5514 West Sample Road, at around 3 a.m., Tuesday.

The front window of the business was smashed, presumably being the entry point the crooks used in their smash-and-grab.

7News spoke with one of the owners of a vaporizer store, who said the thieves were efficient and escaped with products worth thousands of dollars.

“Two people threw a brick, broke our window, came in. They had bins and gathered as much as they could and were out within two minutes,” he said. “It looked like a bank heist. They came and knew exactly what they were doing. They looked like professionals.”

The owner released surveillance images of the crooks, one was seen wearing a cream-grayish jacket, black pants, a black ski mask and gloves. The other wore a blue jacket, black shorts, black gloves and also had a mask.

The shaken owners quickly boarded up the window but said they may eventually have to add shutters to prevent another recurrence as this isn’t the first time their business has been targeted.

Furthermore, they said they’re losing a lump sum of money between the products and the repairs.

“You feel violated and it’s draining. It’s a lot of money that we lose. We are a small business, a mom-and-pop, we’ve been here for 11 years but it hurts a lot, especially these days, it’s money. We don’t really need to be losing any of it,” he said.

Another break-in happened at Sky World Smoke Shop, located within a two-mile radius on Royal Palm Boulevard and Rock Island Road.

Margate Police said they responded to the 7400 block of Royal Palm Boulevard an hour later in reference to a glass break alarm and found several boxes of vapes scattered throughout the parking lot.

Resembling the scene of the first break-in, swindlers also smashed a window of this business.

The owner of the smoke shop was reluctant to speak with 7News, so it’s unclear how much of their goods were stolen.

Police are investigating whether the two incidents are related.

If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

According to North Lauderdale Fire Rescue, the single-engine aircraft went down near 8127 Southgate Boulevard around 4:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

“Looks like a impromptu landing right along the canal[…] the plane’s intact,” a dispatcher said.

“That is [the] South Canal access road right off of Southgate Boulevard and 82nd Avenue,” said Ralph Rayburn as 7Skyforce hovered over the scene.

Two people on board suffered minor injuries but were checked out by paramedics and did not require transport to the hospital.

Witnesses who live nearby told 7News they heard rescue crews rush to the canal.

“I’m glad that they are safe, that’s the important thing,” said David Salcedo, who saw first responders helping. “They did a nice job landing right there on that little cement walkway.”

Matthew Torres said he briefly spoke with the pilot and instructor after it happened.

“They were about 1,000 feet above when the instructor noticed the fuel engines were, there was an issue with the fuel engines,” said Torres. “That’s when he took control of the controls.”

Torres went on to say the instructor quickly decided to find a spot for an emergency landing.

“He tried to troubleshoot it. When he couldn’t, he had to find somewhere to land so that’s when he U-turned it, saw this sidewalk and saw a good place to land,” said Torres.

Torres said before the plane came down, it slammed into a sign that was right next to where a woman was sitting. That woman managed to move out of the way.

“There was a woman that was sitting on that bench. She was being carted on the stretcher being sent to the ambulance,” said Torres. “She looked a little distraught but she looked OK.”

Margate Fire Rescue said that woman was transported to an area hospital.

With no serious injuries reported, witnesses were relieved to see things didn’t end badly.

“Kudos to that guy, man, I know that we talked a little bit so my heart goes out to you guys,” said Torres. “Keep your heads up.”

The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident.

The nonstop rain along with rain and king tides caused a mess in certain neighborhoods, including Fort Lauderdale.

Traffic cameras showed low visibility on Friday afternoon as the rain pummeled drivers on the highway south of Broward Boulevard.

In the Victoria Park neighborhood, 7News cameras captured water covering streets and in one home, went all the way to its garage.

7News cameras captured a driver putting their car in reverse to avoid the flooded area. Others, however, decided to risk it.

“Always get a Jeep. She’ll always get you through the flood,” said a resident.

City officials issued a warning to drivers on Friday afternoon, urging them to drive carefully through the wet roads, especially in flood prone neighborhoods where the water can reach people’s driveways.

Residents in Fort Lauderdale were seen walking around with rain boots while others placed sandbags in front of their homes to keep the water out.

“It hasn’t been this bad since last year. It was always like this for the past couple of years, but this is the first and last day that it’s going to be like this,” said a resident.

“Down here, when it rains hard, it’s like this all over again,” said a third person.

Fort Lauderdale crews were seen blocking a flooded road as they monitor the flooding and inspect the drains to make sure they are clear.

Down south in Hallandale Beach, conditions were a little drier but drivers still faced some issues.

7Skyforce hovered over the Golden Isles neighborhood where some flooding was captured. In other neighborhoods like South Ocean Drive and Hallandale Beach Boulevard, there was massive flooding in the area.

In one area of A1A, drivers had to switch lanes to avoid the flooded streets.

Rescue crews and private tow companies are on their way to certain sections of the city to help stalled out drivers.

In Miami-Dade, flooding was also a concern in some neighborhoods. 7News cameras captured a flooded warehouse parking lot in Miami Gardens with some businesses putting sandbags on the floor of the entrance to keep the water away.

Some flooded neighborhoods were also seen in Northeast 79th Street and 10th Avenue. Sedan drivers were captured taking it slower than those driving trucks as they made their way through the wet streets.

As of Friday night, most of the water in Fort Lauderdale had receded but it left some debris all over the road.

Hollywood Police units responded to reports of shots fired near Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital at Memorial Regional Hospital at around 7 p.m., Thursday.

Detectives said they detained one person who had a gun outside of the hospital but have not determined if any shots were fired or if any crime was committed.

7News cameras captured a major police presence outside the hospital, officers checking the ground with flashlights and investigating a truck that had its doors opened.

A hospital official said there was an incident outside of the facility, and a portion of the hospital was briefly placed on lockdown, which has since been lifted.

No patients were affected by the incident.

An investigation is underway to figure out the circumstances behind this incident.

Currently, the Pompano Beach community receives law enforcement services from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, but recently, officials have been exploring the possibility of having their own independent police force.

On Thursday, officials held the first of several town hall meetings geared at asking people who live in the community their thoughts on public safety.

In a news release before the meeting, officials wrote in part: “This is a major decision, and the City is committed to ensuring that residents play an active role in shaping the future of policing and safety in their neighborhoods.”

At these meetings, officials said, the public will “learn about how public safety services work today, understand the options the City is considering [and be able to] ask questions directly to public safety experts.”

This isn’t the first time a city in Broward County has looked at possibly changing who handles public safety or ditching BSO altogether. In recent months, Deerfield Beach officials and BSO have clashed publicly over this very issue.

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony appeared to place the blame on Deerfield Beach’s city manager, who is a retired BSO deputy, for the stalled negotiations.

“You tell me if I should go absolutely nuclear on this and destroy him, because I have the power of this office to do a lot of damage to individuals, but I have safeguard and protected my personal temperament,” said Tony in a video posted to social media.

Both sides have been at odds over pay raises for BSO deputies at Deerfield Beach. Tony wants BSO deputies at Deerfield Beach to get a pay raise, but city officials said his offer goes over their previously agreed-upon cap.

Earlier this month, Deerfield Beach officials announced they had entered a “transition period” for public safety services.

“This step ensures that the City will continue to receive law enforcement services from the Broward Sheriff’s Office for up to 24 months while City officials carefully review all options for both police and fire services moving forward,” Deerfield Beach officials said in a statement.

Other cities like Pembroke Park and Lauderhill have also cut ties with BSO

As for Pompano Beach, officials said they will host another in-person meeting on Saturday and two virtual meetings next Monday and Wednesday. For more information on these meetings, click here.

7News cameras captured floodwaters turning a roadway into a river near Northeast 20th Avenue and Seventh Street in Fort Lauderdale’s Victoria Park neighborhood, just after 10 a.m. on Wednesday and then again later in the evening.

The first high tide came rushing in the moment the clock hit 9:39 a.m., flooding streets in seconds.

“It moves in pretty fast, it goes out slow,” said area resident who identified herself as Julie. “I kind of get a kick out of watching it come in and see how high it goes.”

Area residents said they’re used to waking up to flooded driveways and streets during king tide cycles, but this flooding is more extensive than they’re accustomed to seeing.

“So this is the bottom of a funnel. I take that as a given, and I’ll live with it. I don’t like it, but I’ll live with it,” said area resident Bill Beamer.

Beamer has lived in Victoria Park for 50 years, and he’s seen the tides change along with his neighborhood.

Victoria Park residents like Beamer said they’re frustrated because the water pumps are not working properly in their neighborhood, causing the water to linger even during low tide.

“The backflow preventer that the city has put in needs constant maintenance, because the stuff from the street gets wrapped into it and washed into it, and it seems to cause it to not act as a backflow preventer,” said Beamer.

Neighbors hope the city will take action, as this is a problem they’ve had to deal with for years.

King tides are typical this time of year, but when accompanied by a full moon, the water’s gravitational pull on the ocean is amplified, which leads to coastal flooding.

But this year, South Florida has seen something a little different. According to 7Weather meteorologists, there have been record-breaking tides this fall. A high tide of 3.77 feet was reported in Broward County and 3.46 feet in Miami-Dade.

In Victoria Park, water seeped in from the Intracoastal Waterway, so much so that it’s leveled with the ground.

“The tidewater was actually lower than the ambient level on the street, so it’s just coming back over, and when it comes up, we’re stuck with it,” said Beamer.

Victoria Park is hardly the only corner of South Florida affected by this week’s king tides. 7Skyforce hovered over a pump station in Hollywood hard at work to get the floodwaters out of coastal neighborhoods.

South of the county line, 7Skyforce captured heavy flooding near Northeast 10th Avenue and 79th Street in Miami, as well as on Northeast 135th Street, just east of Biscayne Boulevard.

As for Beamer, he said he refuses to move because of the king tides.

“I wouldn’t move because of this right here. If you can’t take the bitter with the sweet, you’re not much of a person,” he said.

By nightfall, other Fort Lauderdale residents were gearing up for another night of flooding. Mitch Kash has lived in the neighborhood for about a year and a half. He says king tides are a problem this time of year.

“You just have to deal with it,” he said. “When you want to go out somewhere you have to say, ‘Oh why! It’d probably be better wait two hours until the water goes down and then I’ll go out,’ things of that nature.”

Some residents say they are worried about continuous rounds of king tides, while others say they aren’t that worried because the water has not reached their homes.

According to Fort Lauderdale Police, Sunshine State Sonar, a private search group, located Mackrell’s white 2013 Ford Fusion around 7:20 p.m. Thursday in a lake at 900 Peninsula Corporate Circle.

Mackrell’s family had been searching for answers for the past 10 years, left wondering what happened to him.

“To lose a child, that’s one of the hardest things any mother can go through,” said Astrid Mackrell, his mother.

After officials discovered his remains inside a submerged vehicle, his family has finally received some closure.

“I have cried for 10 years, and I’m still crying, and I’m still gonna cry,” said Astrid. “10 years thinking ‘What happened? Where is he?'”

“We’re all gonna miss him, you know, I was looking at pictures of him and it was hard to even go back and all that,” said Carolina Pascucci, his aunt. “At least we have a little bit of closure.”

Mackrell was 25-years-old when he disappeared in July 2015.

After work, he had gone to Lucky’s Tavern on Las Olas Boulevard to meet up with some friends.

A few hours later, he was seen on security camera footage at a gas station in Pompano Beach.

His family didn’t know anything after that for the next 10 years until Sunshine State Sonar discovered his remains inside a submerged vehicle in Boca Raton last week.

Dental records were used to confirm his identity.

“Finding him, being the car in the water was in the back of my mind,” said Astrid. “In the front was always ‘He’s gonna knock at the door.'”

The discovery hit his family hard, who even after 10 years, held out hope that he was still alive.

“I wasn’t really, really into finding Steven this way, you know, I was always that hope that he’ll come home, but now he’s not gonna come home,” said Astrid.

“We’ve been through a lot. She’s been through a lot with her son,” said Pascucci.

Over those 10 years, Astrid and her family never gave up on searching for Steven, who left behind a daughter who’s now 11-years-old.

Each year, the family gathered to keep his memory alive, releasing balloons in his honor.

Monday evening, his loved ones gathered together to honor his life.

“I needed this. It’s necessary to be in family,” said Astrid. “Steve would like that.”

Despite the heartbreak of knowing he’s gone, his family can finally say goodbye.

“I thank God for, that we finally found him because I’ve been praying for that for 10 years,” said Astrid.

“We miss him, but at the same time we have hope that we’re gonna see him in the future, in a new body, in a new resurrection,” said Victor Navarrete, his uncle.

Mackrell’s family was also thankful for all the support they’ve received.

“I want to thank everybody who has been with us through the 10 years with their prayers and support ’cause without the prayers, we could not keep going,” said Astrid.

Mackrell’s family said they are working on funeral arrangements.

While it’s assumed Mackrell drove his car into the lake, authorities have not confirmed that as they continue to investigate what happened.