Police: 5 dead in apparent murder-suicide in South Florida
Police in South Florida were investigating five deaths Friday in what they believe to be a murder-suicide. Miami-Dade police officers responded to a Miami Lakes home Friday morning after a relative requested a welfare check because she had been unable to contact the occupants, a news release said. Inside, they found three females and two males dead from apparent gunshot wounds, officials said.
news.yahoo.comFlorida Dems pick Fried to lead party after tough midterms
Fried, 45, outdistanced former state Sen. Annette Taddeo at a special meeting of party members in suburban Orlando, and will replace Manny Diaz. Within the past few years, Republicans have erased the voter registration advantage in Florida that Democrats held for decades. In the midterm election, longtime Democratic strongholds such as Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties flipped to the GOP, and DeSantis won a landslide reelection victory as he eyes a 2024 presidential bid. Fried, whose term as agriculture commissioner wrapped up last month, has pledged to rebuild the party “from the ground up,” with a focus on voter registration. Just over a decade ago, President Barack Obama won reelection to the White House after twice carrying the state of Florida.
wftv.comFlorida Democrats set to pick new party leader on Saturday
MIAMI , Fla. (AP) — Florida Democrats on Saturday are set to choose a new party leader after a disastrous midterm performance in the onetime presidential battleground state, with particularly abysmal results among Latinos.
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Florida Democrats to pick party chair after tough midterms
The strongest contenders are former state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and former state senator Annette Taddeo, both of whom lost their own races last year. Fried lost the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to Charlie Crist, while Taddeo failed to unseat Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. Party members will select the new chair at a special meeting in Maitland, an Orlando suburb. Within the last couple of years, Republicans have erased the voter registration advantage in Florida that Democrats had for decades. Just over a decade ago, President Barack Obama won reelection to the White House after twice carrying the state of Florida.
wftv.comFlorida animal rescue group seeks donations to treat abandoned, burned 4-week-old puppy
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida animal rescue organization is seeking donations as it attempts to save the life of a 4-week-old puppy that was discovered abandoned and severely burned. >> Read more trending newsMutty Paws Rescue in Palm Beach County wrote in a graphic Facebook post that the Palm Springs-based group received the 3-pound puppy on Saturday. The animal was taken to Miami-Dade Animal Services before being transferred to Mutty Paws Rescue, according to the television station. “When we received his rescue plea.. we didn’t grasp how bad his burns actually would be in person. Persons wishing to help Dade can donate at the Mutty Paws Rescue website.
wftv.comOdell Beckham Jr. escorted off plane after reportedly 'coming in and out of consciousness' before flight
Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was kicked off a plane Sunday after the flight crew reportedly observed him "coming in and out of consciousness," according to Miami-Dade police. Beckham reportedly would not leave the flight when asked by the crew, leading to the entire plane being evacuated. The flight was reportedly going from Miami to Los Angeles, but was taken off the plane before it departed. Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me… I’ve seen it alll.. — Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) November 27, 2022I COULD NEVER MAKE THIS UP. — Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) November 27, 2022He did not go into detail about what happened.
wftv.comFlorida objects to federal election monitors in polling places
The U.S. Department of Justice routinely sends monitors to precincts around the country to make sure that Election Day is going smoothly, but on Monday Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration objected to the oversight in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Mexican actor guilty in Miami road rage death
MIAMI — (AP) — A Mexican actor was convicted in South Florida on Tuesday of fatally punching a man during a road rage confrontation. A six-person jury in Miami-Dade circuit county found Pablo Lyle, 35, guilty of manslaughter, according to court records. Lyle has claimed he acted in self-defense and was trying to protect his children in March 2019 when he punched Juan Ricardo Hernandez, 63, during a confrontation at a Miami intersection. The unarmed Hernandez suffered a traumatic brain injury and died four days later at a hospital. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comMexican actor guilty in Miami road rage death
A Mexican actor was convicted in South Florida on Tuesday of fatally punching a man during a road rage confrontation. A six-person jury in Miami-Dade circuit county found Pablo Lyle, 35, guilty of manslaughter, according to court records. “Two lives were destroyed by simple roadway anger, a situation we see far too often on our streets and on streets across the country,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement.
news.yahoo.comOnlyFans model Courtney Clenney pleads not guilty to 2nd-degree murder charge
MIAMI — An OnlyFans model and Instagram influencer accused of killing her boyfriend in April pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges on Wednesday. >> Read more trending newsAn attorney for 26-year-old Courtney Clenney entered the plea in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, the Miami Herald reported. OnlyFans model pleads not guilty in Miami murder case. Clenney claimed she had only thrown the knife from about 10 feet away, the Herald reported. Prosecutors also played a video of Clenney repeatedly attacking Obumseli in an elevator two months before the killing, WPLG-TV reported.
wftv.comA Catholic charity hired a man to simulate a mass shooting at their building, complete with actors covered in blood. The drill ended with his arrest.
John Channels fired blanks at a conference room window where employees were gathered. One elderly woman told police she thought she was going to die.
news.yahoo.comMiami officer shot pursuing robbery suspect dies days later
Florida Police Officer Shot Police officers and other officials stand outside the Ryder Trauma Center after a Miami-Dade police officer was shot in an exchange of gunfire during a car chase with an armed robbery suspect, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Miami. (Sydney Walsh/Miami Herald via AP) (Sydney Walsh)MIAMI — (AP) — A 29-year-old police officer who was shot in the head while trying to stop a robbery suspect in Miami has died, officials said. Cesar Echaverry was shot Monday night as he and other officers closed in a suspect wanted for an earlier robbery in nearby Broward County, police said. “Officer Echaverry died in the line of duty while serving & protecting our community,” Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez tweeted Wednesday evening. His friends told the Miami Herald he was moving up and planned to get married.
wftv.comMiami-Dade police officer dies days after shootout, officials say
Miami-Dade officer critically wounded in shooting, suspect dead, officials say Police said there was a shootout that left one of the department’s detectives critically wounded. (NCD)MIAMI, Fla. — A Miami-Dade police officer has died days after being shot in the line of duty, officials said Wednesday. Officer Cesar “Echy” Echaverry died after being shot during a shootout Monday night in Miami. “Officer Echaverry died in the line of duty while serving & protecting our community. Miami-Dade officer critically wounded in shooting, suspect dead, officials say Police said there was a shootout that left one of the department’s detectives critically wounded.
wftv.comMiami-Dade officer critical after shooting; suspect killed
Florida Police Officer Shot Police officers and other officials stand outside the Ryder Trauma Center after a Miami-Dade police officer was shot in an exchange of gunfire during a car chase with an armed robbery suspect, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in Miami. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald via AP) (Alie Skowronski)MIAMI, Florida — (AP) — A Miami-Dade police officer was critically wounded and an armed robbery suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire during a car chase Monday night, authorities said. The suspect smashed his vehicle into a police cruiser and another car while trying to flee following a reported armed robbery near the Liberty City neighborhood, the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement. "An altercation ensued and shots were fired resulting in both the officer and subject shot," the statement said. TV news footage showed a line of police cars outside the Ryder Trauma Center, where the officer was being treated.
wftv.comFlorida police shooting: Miami-Dade officer critically wounded, suspect dead, officials say
Florida police shooting: Miami-Dade officer critically wounded, suspect killed, officials say Stock photo of crime scene tape. A Florida police officer has been hospitalized with critical injuries and a suspect is dead following a Monday night shootout in Miami, authorities said. (Kali9/Getty Images)MIAMI — A Florida police officer has been hospitalized with critical injuries and a suspect is dead following a Monday night shootout in Miami, authorities said. After the wreck, a shootout occurred, leaving one of the department’s Robbery Intervention Detail detectives critically wounded, according to police. Officials said the suspect also was shot and died at the scene, WSVN reported.
wftv.comSocial media model charged with killing boyfriend in Florida
Prosecutors in South Florida announced a second-degree murder charge Thursday against social media model Courtney Clenney related to the fatal stabbing of her live-in boyfriend. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced the charge against the 26-year-old model during a news conference. Clenney was arrested Wednesday in Hawaii.
news.yahoo.comParkland school shooter’s sister wants to testify in his trial. But she’s in jail, too
As Nikolas Cruz enters the third week of his sentencing trial for the Parkland school massacre, his biological sister sits in a Miami-Dade jail on a carjacking charge — and her upcoming trial may now be complicated by his.
news.yahoo.com‘This is how you guys get killed’: Florida officer under investigation for traffic stop comment
Miami-Dade police officer under investigation for traffic stop comment File photo. (m-gucci/Getty Images/iStockphoto)MIAMI — A man’s video of his interaction with a Miami-Dade police officer during a traffic stop has led to an investigation because of some comments made by the officer. Nicolas told WPLG that he feared for his life at the moment, and that the officer had also grabbed the keys out of his car’s ignition. “I can’t stop thinking about it,” Nicolas told the station. The department added that the officer involved was moved to desk duty.
wftv.com‘This is how you guys get killed out here,’ cop tells Black driver questioning traffic stop
A veteran Miami-Dade police officer is being investigated after video surfaced of him telling a Black man who questioned why he’d been pulled over, “this is how you guys get killed out here, man.”
news.yahoo.comEnglish 16-year-old sent nude to her mom. It was meant for a Miami-Dade teacher, cops say
A relationship between a Miami-Dade teacher and a 16-year-old in England began with a comment on a cat photo online before blossoming into homework help and Harry Potter reading sessions, police say — but that wasn’t it.
news.yahoo.comFlorida police officer convicted in woman's rough arrest
MIAMI — (AP) — A jury took just over an hour to convict a Miami-Dade officer of felony battery and official misconduct in the rough arrest of a Black woman who had called police for help. If the arrest is unlawful, they have no more rights than the rest of us. The jury consisted of two Black women, one Hispanic woman and three Hispanic men. The conviction of North Miami police Officer Jonathon Aledda was overturned by an appeals court in February. The arrest report inaccurately said that Loving was “causing a scene” and was being “uncooperative,” prosecutors said.
wftv.comFlorida police officer convicted in woman's rough arrest
A jury took just over an hour to convict a Miami-Dade officer of felony battery and official misconduct in the rough arrest of a Black woman who had called police for help. Alejandro Giraldo was suspended after cellphone video circulated on social media in March 2019 showing him tackling Dyma Loving, who had called police to report that a neighbor had pointed a shotgun at her.
news.yahoo.comMother arrested in Florida for killing two children found tied up
Florida mother accused of killing two children Booking photo of Odette Lysse Joassaint, who allegedly told officers, “Come get them, I don’t want them anymore,” referring to her children. (Miami-Dade Department of Corrections)MIAMI — A Florida woman was arrested after police said they responded to 911 calls and found her children dead in their Miami home. “The female seemed irate, she seemed like her mind wasn’t correct,” Miami police officer Michael Vega told WFOR. Police said the woman, identified as Odette Lysse Joassaint, told officers, “Come get them, I don’t want them anymore,” referring to her children, WFOR reported. Odette Joassaint was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
wftv.comPolice: Officer kills man who armed himself while in custody
The shooting occurred shortly before noon at a western Miami-Dade home, according to a police news release. Miami-Dade police officers had been assisting Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service when they took a 53-year-old man into custody, police said. The man complained of feeling ill, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to evaluate him.
news.yahoo.comWarning issued for spring breakers and all swimmers from Miami Beach to Palm Beach
As spring break gets going this week in South Florida, the National Weather Service has extended the high rip current risk warning for the waters off Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to 7 p.m. Wednesday.
news.yahoo.comMiami agrees to do something about its peacock problem
Peacocks could be on the outs in some South Florida neighborhoods after the Miami-Dade commission agreed to loosen a law protecting the birds. While the 20-year-old law still protects peacocks from harm, commissioners agreed Tuesday to allow cities to opt out if they present appropriate plans to humanely remove the divisive birds from areas where they're not wanted, the Miami Herald reported. “In my district, we learn to live with these peacocks,” said Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, representing Palmetto Bay, which has designated itself a bird sanctuary.
news.yahoo.comFlorida police officer saves young dolphin caught in fishing net
Nothing but net: A Miami-Dade police officer in the department's marine unit helped free a young dolphin caught in a fishing net. (Joe Raedle/Newsmakers)MIAMI — A Florida police officer helped free a dolphin in distress last month, freeing the young mammal from a fishing net. Officer Silva located a juvenile dolphin that was trapped in a fishing net. Watch the video to see how Officer Silva helped free the dolphin. The dolphin was not cooperating, splashing in the water, but Silva eventually cut enough of the net so the dolphin could swim away.
wftv.comBig Florida school districts defy governor over mask mandate
Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties have become the third and fourth school districts in Florida to adopt stricter mask mandates, a day after school boards in Broward and Alachua counties faced threats of severe penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, which says parents should decide whether their children wear masks.
VIDEO: Police search for gunmen in Florida concert shooting that killed 2, wounded 21
The investigation into who is responsible for a mass shooting in Northwest Miami-Dade continues with information trickling in about what led to 20 people being injured and two killed at the scene outside of a banquet hall early Sunday morning.
Woman takes back her Florida home after invasion by squatters
MIAMI – Patricia Guerrero had been dealing with squatters for months. Guerrero had been working full time to pay the mortgage of a home invaded by squatters who showed police officers a fraudulent lease. Miami-Dade remains under an eviction moratorium. While the moratorium is to protect legal renters who can’t afford to pay rent due to COVID-19 issues, it’s also protecting squatters who never paid rent in the first place even with a judge’s order to remove the squatters. Guerrero said she had been trapped for more than nine months when she learned the squatters hadn’t been in the home for a few weeks.
Here’s when will Florida could enter phase 3 of reopening
Here in central Florida, performance halls continue to prepare to reopen and bars can reopen on Monday -- so what’s next? [TRENDING: What La Nina could mean for rest of hurricane season | Bars allowed to open in Florida | Gator ambushes, attacks Florida woman]DeSantis has not indicated when Phase 3 could happen, however his reopening plan calls for Phase 3 when “there is no evidence of a rebound or resurgence of COVID-19 cases.”Most of Florida entered Phase 2 more than three months ago. You can also find the Re-Open Florida Task Force report from April that includes all three phases here. Extra sanitation measures include either providing disposable paper menus or disinfecting laminated menus after each use. RecreationState parks, beaches, movie theaters, concert halls, playhouses, casinos, arcades and the like can fully reopen with limited social distancing measures.
Teen arrested in cyberattacks on Florida schools
We will not rest until every one of them is caught and brought to justice, schools police chief Edwin Lopez said. Earlier, officials revealed that Carvalho had never signed a $15.3 million contract with the online platform at the center of the crisis. Ron Steiger, the Miami-Dade County school district's chief financial officer, made the announcement Wednesday during a school board meeting to discuss the failures of K12's online platform, My School Online, the Miami Herald reported. And the district could only measure one-time log-ins, not sustained participation, which is a feature offered by My School Online. Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has requested a briefing with the Department of Homeland Security on cybersecurity as it relates to school districts.
2 girls missing for nearly 1 year found in Florida; search continues for brother
MIAMI Police in South Florida say they have found two young girls who had been missing from Memphis, Tennessee, for nearly a year, and arrested their 45-year-old mother. But she did provide the color of the house in Biscayne Park where she had been staying, along with two numbers of the street address. On Wednesday, child services officials along with Miami-Dade and Biscayne Park police found the girls mother at a home in Biscayne Park. She had an outstanding warrant for kidnapping out of Memphis, Tennessee, police said. The state attorneys office and the Biscayne Park police are still investigating.
Coronavirus: Which are the deadliest Florida counties for COVID-19?
ORLANDO, Fla. Miami-Dade has the most deaths from the novel coronavirus, but two other counties Martin and Manatee rank higher in deaths per 100,000 population, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. Florida Today obtained the statewide coronavirus deaths from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. For some counties, the medical examiners numbers will be higher, for others lower. This can distort the death rate for counties with smaller populations and fewer cases, compared to larger populated counties with more cases. Florida Today created the interactive below so you can search to see how your county fares.
State-supported COVID-19 testing sites to start opening back up
ORLANDO, Fla. – With the threat of Tropical Storm Isaias diminishing, more than a dozen state-supported COVID-19 testing sites that were shut down due to the inclement weather are planning to reopen as early as Monday. 15 state-supported COVID-19 testing sites closed due to #Isaias will resume operations tomorrow. Though the state-supported sites closed because they’re set up outdoors and can’t handle wind and rain, many private sites continued operating through the weekend. Still, officials have said that the free sites closing temporarily could have an impact on the state’s coronavirus figures. On the flip side, Mike Jachles from the Florida Department of Emergency Management said there could be at least one benefit to the decrease in testing.
Jesus statue beheaded at Catholic church in South Florida
MIAMI Someone beheaded a statue of Jesus Christ in the courtyard of a South Florida church, an act of vandalism now being investigated by the Miami-Dade police and the Department of Homeland Security. The statue was destroyed between Tuesday night and Wednesday in the courtyard of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in West Kendall. This is an attack on the church, Mary Ross Agosta, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami, told the Miami Herald. People find peace at these types of places, especially during these times, police spokesman Argemis Colome told the newspaper. We want to ensure the community that MDPD will look into the matter so people can continue to feel safe.
DeSantis urged to require masks as COVID-19 burdens some Florida hospitals
A new county order also closes casinos, strip clubs, movie theaters, the zoo and other entertainment venues a month after they were allowed to reopen. Florida reported 341 new hospital admissions of COVID-19 patients on Friday, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began. The county's latest statistics showed more than 1,400 COVID patients in Miami hospitals, including 306 in intensive care, occupying about 73% of the ICU beds that would be otherwise available. Florida's health department releases a daily cumulative tally of new hospitalizations of people who test positive for the virus, but doesn't provide statewide numbers of COVID-19 patients currently in hospitals, ICU beds or on ventilators. Statewide, about 20% of ICU beds are currently available, though some hospitals have additional capacity that can be turned into ICU units if need be.
Most of Florida officially enters phase 2 of reopening
ORLANDO, Fla. As of Friday, most of Florida has taken the next step of reopening the economy that was ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. All the of the state -- with the exception of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties -- can now enter phase two of the governors reopening plan and with that comes the easing of even more restrictions. Florida was in phase one for one month, from May 4 until Thursday, but its unknown at this point how long Florida will stay in phase two before its time to move to phase three, which many are referring to as the new normal. We are opening at 11:59 a.m. You know you cant drink all day if you dont start in the morning. On Friday morning, Florida reported 1,305 new cases of COVID-19 since approximately the same time the day before, as well as 53 new deaths.
Restaurants scramble to reopen in most of Florida
MIAMI, Fla. – As restaurants in many Florida cities prepare to re-open on Monday under new pandemic rules set by Gov. Restaurants in all but three South Florida counties can reopen inside dining rooms at 25% capacity. In Lee County, for example, officials are allowing restaurants to place tables and seating in areas not previously allowed, such as parking lots. Florida is saying no condos can be rented, but restaurants can be open. The governor’s order said retail and store-front businesses can reopen, but only if the local government allows it.
Police: 2 women killed when car fell off Florida ferry
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The bodies of two women were discovered in a car that rolled off a ferry into a deep shipping channel off the coast of South Florida. Their family members were notified of the deaths, the Coast Guard said on Twitter. Miami-Dade police identified the women as Emma Afra, 63, of Miami, and Viviane Brahms, 76, of Harrison, New York. The Coast Guard is investigating how the car fell from the ferry, which takes people and cars back and forth from the exclusive Fisher Island. The front and back of the ferry are usually closed by chains during the short trip.
FBI joins search for missing baby after deaths of 3 women
MIAMI – The FBI has joined the search for a newborn baby who disappeared after his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were fatally shot in South Florida, official said. FBI spokesman Michael Leverock confirmed the agency is assisting in the case, the Miami Herald reported Monday. Andrew Caballeiro was a week old when his father, Ernesto Caballeiro, 49, kidnapped him last month, Miami-Dade police said. A short time later, police found the bodies of Arlety García Valdés, 40; Isabel Valdés González, 60; and Lina González Licor, 84. “Our detectives are still following all the leads they have in the case," Miami-Dade police Detective Ángel Rodríguez said.
Two Central Florida Zika cases reported
Two Central Florida Zika virus cases were reported by the Florida Department of Health on Tuesday. Two cases were reported in Orange County and three involving pregnant women. In addition, cases were reported in Polk County, Broward, Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade counties also had cases reported. This brings the total non-travel related to reported today to 16. Infection Type Infection Count Travel-Related Infections of Zika 558 Non-Travel Related Infections of Zika 46 Infections Involving Pregnant Women 78