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Police & Fire
Man Exercising Killed By Car Plowing Through NJ Planet Fitness, Officials Say Man Exercising Killed By Car Plowing Through NJ Planet Fitness, Officials Say
Man Exercising Killed By Car Plowing Through NJ Planet Fitness, Officials Say A 72-year-old man was killed and two others injured when a car crashed into a Planet Fitness in New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 26, officials said. At approximately 12:20 p.m., a vehicle driven by a 69-year-old woman struck the Planet Fitness building in Elizabeth, city spokeswoman Ruby Contreras said.  The man, who was near the front window, was killed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by News 12 New Jersey (@news12nj) A 59-year-old man on a treadmill sustained cuts and abrasions, and the driver suffered injuries consist…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
New Update: Restrictions Lifted After No Active Shooter Found At University Of Arkansas New Update: Restrictions Lifted After No Active Shooter Found At University Of Arkansas
New Update: Restrictions Lifted After No Active Shooter Found At University Of Arkansas Restrictions have now been lifted after police and campus officials warned students to keep away from Mullins Library as officers swarmed the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville for reports of an active shooter. On Monday afternoon, Aug. 25, the university’s RazALERT emergency system notified the campus community to avoid the area around Mullins Library “due to an active shooter reported,” according to the alert on social media. The message urged: “Avoid. Deny. Defend.” In a follow-up RazALERT, the university said police were responding to multiple reports around campus and reiterated th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes
Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes Villanova University faced a second false emergency report involving a weapon on campus Sunday, Aug. 24, one day before classes were scheduled to begin, Radnor Township Police confirmed. Officers were called to Austin Hall after a report of a possible threat, but police later confirmed the call was unfounded. Law enforcement searched the building, cleared the scene, and worked to restore normal operations. The investigation into the hoax is ongoing. The incident comes just three days after a fake active shooter report at Villanova’s law school sent the campus into chaos during orientation a…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Princeton Dad Thrown Overboard, Killed By Boat Circling Barnegat Bay, Troopers Say (UPDATE) Princeton Dad Thrown Overboard, Killed By Boat Circling Barnegat Bay, Troopers Say (UPDATE)
Princeton Dad Thrown Overboard, Killed By Boat Circling Barnegat Bay, Troopers Say (Update) Authorities have released the identity of the boater thrown overboard and then struck and killed by the same boat in New Jersey waters Sunday morning, Aug. 24. Karl Chen Karl Chen Facebook photo Troopers responded to the area of ICW Marker 116 in the Barnegat Bay in Little Egg Harbor just before 10 a.m., where a 27-foot Robalo vessel struck a large wake, causing both occupants to be ejected, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. See video from the scene below. An out of control boat on the Barnegat Bay has killed 1 and left another in critical condition. I’m being tol…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
VIDEO: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report VIDEO: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report
Video: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report A small sand shark swam up to the outdoor host stand at Bird & Betty’s in Beach Haven late Thursday night, Aug. 21, after flooding from the storm pushed it out of the bay, NJ Advance Media reported. “Fish are friends… but not usually our customers,” the club joked in an Instagram post, adding that Beach Haven police “had to save the local wildlife tonight instead of verifying ID.”  Video shows an officer scooping up the shark and carrying it back to the water. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bird and Betty’s (@birdandbet…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
22-Year-Old Columbia Student Among 5 ID'd As Victims In Horrific NY Tour Bus Crash 22-Year-Old Columbia Student Among 5 ID'd As Victims In Horrific NY Tour Bus Crash
22-Year-Old Columbia Student Among 5 ID'd As Victims In Horrific NY Tour Bus Crash Identities have now been released of those killed after a sightseeing trip from Niagara Falls to New York City turned tragic when a tour bus carrying 54 people rolled over in western New York, leaving five dead and dozens injured. The devastating incident on I-90 in Genesee County happened around midday Friday, Aug. 22.  The bus, owned by M&Y Tour Inc. of Staten Island, veered off the highway, overcorrected, and rolled down an embankment near Pembroke, according to New York State Police. The bus was en route from Niagara Falls to New York City when it exited the roadway between ex…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
NY Man Bankrolled Failed Murder-For-Hire Ambush, DA Says NY Man Bankrolled Failed Murder-For-Hire Ambush, DA Says
NY Man Bankrolled Failed Murder-For-Hire Ambush, DA Says A Hudson Valley man was indicted for attempted murder after allegedly paying someone to kill another man in a 2023 shooting that nearly turned fatal, prosecutors alleged. Gilbert Maxi, 33, of Monticello, was indicted by a Sullivan County grand jury on charges of attempted murder and conspiracy on Tuesday, Aug. 19. Prosecutors allege that Maxi solicited and paid another person to carry out the May 20, 2023 shooting on South Main Street in Liberty.  The targeted victim suffered life-threatening injuries but survived thanks to the response of Liberty police officers and Empress EMS. Max…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
NY Cops Want Access To Your Camera Feeds As Critics Decry ‘Big Brother’ (POLL) NY Cops Want Access To Your Camera Feeds As Critics Decry ‘Big Brother’ (POLL)
NY Cops Want Access To Your Camera Feeds As Critics Decry ‘Big Brother’ (Poll) A New York police department’s bid to tap into residents’ security cameras is drawing a chilly reception online. The Saratoga Springs Police Department on Monday, Aug. 18, asked residents and businesses to share live security camera feeds as part of its new “Community Connect” program. Users can register their security cameras to “help officers quickly locate possible evidence, assist in investigations and help to keep our city safe,” the department said. An accompanying infographic outlined the program’s goal of increasing safety while still “respecting privacy,” noting that camera access…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Man Admits Setting Apartment Blaze While 20 People Were Inside In Region Man Admits Setting Apartment Blaze While 20 People Were Inside In Region
Man Admits Setting Apartment Blaze While 20 People Were Inside In Region A Schenectady man confessed to setting multiple fires inside his apartment while nearly 20 people were inside the building. Namere Thompson, 33, pleaded guilty to felony arson in Schenectady County Court on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Thompson admitted to intentionally setting several fires inside his University Place apartment around 1 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, while other residents were home. The blaze forced nearly 20 occupants to flee the multi-family building. Nobody was injured thanks to quick action by tenants who alerted their neighbors, the DA’s office said. Witness statements and pole c…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Explosion Injuring 2 Children Believed Tied To Fireworks, Police Say NY Explosion Injuring 2 Children Believed Tied To Fireworks, Police Say
NY Explosion Injuring 2 Children Believed Tied To Fireworks, Police Say Two children were hurt in upstate New York after an explosion caused by improperly discarded fireworks, police said. The Rensselaer County incident happened around 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at a Troy residence on O’Neil Street, according to Troy Police. Officers and firefighters responded after an explosion occurred near a roll-off dumpster in the driveway, where a homeowner had been discarding renovation debris. A 5-year-old and 9-year-old playing nearby were struck by the blast, police said. The younger child suffered minor cuts and was treated at a hospital and released. The 9-year-ol…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Central Hudson Fined $5M For Gas Explosion That Injured Dozens In NY Central Hudson Fined $5M For Gas Explosion That Injured Dozens In NY
Central Hudson Fined $5M For Gas Explosion That Injured Dozens In NY Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation will pay millions in penalties and safety upgrades after admitting it failed to provide safe and adequate service in connection with a 2023 gas explosion that destroyed a Dutchess County home and injured around a dozen people, including children. The New York State Public Service Commission announced Thursday, Aug. 14, that it had approved a joint settlement agreement resolving all alleged violations stemming from the Nov. 2, 2023 blast at 7 Brick Row in the Village of Wappingers Falls. Under the settlement, Central Hudson will pay a $5 million …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Assistant Fire Chief Collapses At NY Blaze: Now In Critical Condition Assistant Fire Chief Collapses At NY Blaze: Now In Critical Condition
Assistant Fire Chief Collapses At NY Blaze: Now In Critical Condition A Dutchess County firefighter is in critical condition after collapsing while responding to a blaze.  The incident happened around 5:19 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 11, when the Rombout Fire Company was dispatched to a structure fire at 70 Mountain View Rd. in Fishkill, according to the department. While investigating the active fire, Assistant Chief John Lucariello collapsed at the scene. He was immediately taken to St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital before being flown to Westchester Medical Center. Fire officials said Lucariello is now under the care of leading cardiac specialists and remains in …

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by Ben Crnic