One of the people inside the home was unable to get out, but thankfully, a good Samaritan and fire officials joined together to save their life.

The blaze erupted when an oxygen tank exploded.

Joyce O’Barske said she was outside the home when her husband rushed to her.

“My husband comes running — well, not running ’cause he’s an amputee — through the garage and says, ‘Joyce, there’s a fire,'” she said.

That’s when her husband started having trouble breathing, so O’Barske called 911.

Two police officers who arrived first on the scene found the couple stuck inside the garage.

Joyce walked out, but her husband was stuck in his chair because he is unable to walk.

As crews tried to help free the amputee, the garage door would not budge. That’s when a good Samaritan stepped in to help.

Thankfully, the three men were able to get the man out of the garage to safety.

Inside the house, officials described what they witnessed.

“We did find heavy fire and smoke conditions in the back of the residence. We were able to quickly get it out,” said a firefighter.

Days later, that good Samaritan got a reward for his efforts.

He received a Citizen Recognition Challenge Coin from the same first responders he helped.

The husband made it out of the garage all right.

“He’s got burn marks, but he should be OK,” said O’Barske.

The couple’s two dogs were also saved from the house.

Officials are investigating what caused the oxygen tank to explode.

The nonprofit Becca’s Closet on Saturday lent a helping hand to several high school girl who were out shopping for a formal dress at the Festival Marketplace Mall in Pompano Beach.

Autumn was one of the young shoppers.

“It’s really cool. They have so many different things,” she said.

Becca’s Closet gave the teens access to the free dresses. The nonprofit helps high school students in need of a dress for prom or homecoming get one if they can’t afford it.

Andrea Butler was accompanying her niece, who was looking for a prom dress.

“It’s very helpful, especially in this time with the money, you know, the hard times for a lot of people, and this helps us out a lot,” she said

Autumn marveled at the wide array of dresses.

“I think its really helpful that they give you different options, they, like, get you outside the box,” she said.

Volunteers helped the girls pick out the perfect outfit.

“I got a green short dress for a banquet I’m going to for Color Guard,” said.

“So we have our volunteers in the store front, and the girls who booked appointments with us are working side by side with our personal shoppers,” said Pam Kirtman with Becca’s Closet.

Becca’s Closet was formed 20 years ago after Jay and Pam Kirtman’s daughter, 16-year-old Becca, passed away in a car accident.

Before she died, Becca collected about 250 dresses, helping hundreds of girls attend their high school proms.

“Prom, as everybody knows, is the main event where every group in the school goes to,” said Jay Kirtman. “It’s not like just the athletes or any particular groups. It’s one event, they all come together, and carrying on Rebecca’s memory, and helping girls smile and carrying on her mission is heartwarming, and it just really puts a smile, not only on their face, but our face.”

Now with chapters across the country, her parents said, they can’t put a price on the girls’ faces.

“It’s priceless, definitely,” said Pam.

“And we get rewarded, fortunately, with the hug and the extreme thanks, and we’re the ones who are really thankful,” said Jay.

“And the parents and the caregivers are relieved. I mean, it’s a burden; senior year is expensive. This relieves the burden, one little thing,” said Pam.

The Kirtmans said high school students in need of a dress can fill out an online form. For more information, click here.

In the past few months, residents in Kendall have seen massive poles pop up on public sidewalks in the area of Southwest 117th Avenue and Killian Parkway. The homeowners said this is an issue that is also happening in Naples and Tampa.

Communication companies said they are working to improve everyone’s connectivity, but members of the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations said the poles are an eyesore that could impact their health and their property value.

At a meeting on Tuesday night, association leaders reacted to the towers being placed in their neighborhoods.

“The community has screamed out to us about these towers that keep popping up in their communities and coming soon to where I live in Calusa,” said Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations President Michael Rosenberg. “I may walk out one morning and, boom, there’s this 60-foot tower in front of my house.”

Miles Moss, who represents about 1,500 homes in the Winston Park community, said the blame lies with the county.

“They have an off-duty officer with them that they hire, and they just start putting the pole up. The county has issued the permit way in advance,” said Moss.

Miami-Dade County officials declined to speak with 7News during Tuesday’s meeting.

Homeowners said the county officials told them that the Florida Legislature tied their hands with a new law that automatically grants permits to companies after a certain amount of time.

“It’s an extremely attractive state law for the company that’s putting these up because, again, there’s very little jurisdiction,” said Silvia Morales Gutierrez, a homeowner in Glen Cove.

Homeowners at the meeting said they would like to see the same transparency they’ve seen in the past with utility companies.

“AT&T talked about where the lines were going to go, ‘We’re going to put it here, we need to go in your backyard, we need to do this here,'” said Moss. “[Florida Power & Light] has done the same, the water department did the same, but these guys, I don’t know who they are.”

7News did not immediately heard back from the communications company listed by the homeowners.

But these homeowners are very motivated to get the state law changed. They said they are organizing and in contact with their state representatives because they don’t want this to happen to any other homeowner in Florida.

Students and staff at FIU filled the lawn of their school on Monday afternoon, as they took turns peeking through the two telescopes provided by the school or looked at the eclipse through their safety glasses.

“I am so excited for this,” said FIU student Michelle Nassimos. “I’m glad that FIU is doing like a free public viewing.”

The next time students and staff will get to experience a natural phenomenal like this will be in 20 years.

“It’s crazy. Who knows, you know, if we’re going to be, you know, alive in another 20 years, so, gotta experience it today,” said Nassimos.

For other curious students wanting to see the eclipse, the experience was very new.

“It feels like something out of a movie, like, I’ve never seen one before, and it looks really cool how you can see the shadow of the moon on the sun,” said Laly, another FIU student.

“I’ve never got to see this event before, and it’s, for me, it’s fascinating,” said Amelie Perez.

“I’m so excited, I love stuff like this,” said FIU student Acayah Brand. “Just seeing it, and having the telescope and the glasses provided for us, it makes me really happy, ’cause I like the solar stuff and, like, the space things.”

A Ph.D. student at FIU told 7News that the school saw 46% of the moon covering the sun.

Dr. James Webb, a professor at FIU, helped set up the viewing party. He said he is glad to hear the students’ feedback.

“Actually, nature sets us up. I’m just capitalizing what nature is doing,” said Webb.

Webb hopes this scientific event will seep into student’s minds.

“I like people to show that, if we can predict eclipses hundreds of years in advance, maybe they’ll take science and other things seriously, like global warming,” he said.

Interest in the science is peaking, as 7News cameras captured people gathering on the school’s lawn to witness the event.

“If we didn’t have this, I don’t think anyone probably would have cared as much to see it,” said Brand.

“I think it brings a lot of people together,” said Lely. “Normally this place is so empty, but it’s packed right now, and everyone’s just here to see it.”

Meantime, children at Zoo Miami went wild over the eclipse, as the local zoo hosted a viewing party at its plaza.

Guests at the zoo were able to use telescopes, grab some safety glasses and learn about the partial solar eclipse, thanks to the Southern Cross Astronomical Society of Miami.

Several children described what they saw and felt during the event.

When asked whether she was feeling excited, a girl replied, “Yeah. It’s a memory that we will never forget, and it’s a beautiful moment.”

“It looks orange, and there’s, like, a little piece taken off,” said Lily.

“It’s kind of like a cookie that’s been bitten, like a chip off,” said a boy.

“It’s like a circle, and it’s half cut,” said Rachel.

“I don’t see anything,” said a second boy. “Oh, I see it.”

When asked whether this was the best day of your life, a fourth girl said, “Yeah.”

7News cameras captured another eclipse watcher trying to put her phone up to her glasses to capture the moment.

Another big concern at Zoo Miami was how the animals were going to react to the partial eclipse. Following the partial eclipse, the animals barely reacted.

At schools throughout Miami-Dade and Broward, students came ready with an extra school supply: eclipse sunglasses.

The solar eclipse brought a perfect opportunity for students at three South Florida schools to bring a lesson to life.

Magnet students at Terra Environmental Institute prepared for citizenry science as they crowdsourced information for scientists.

“Any scientists that are working on trying to identify animal behavior during the eclipse, due to a biotic factor, can actually, hopefully, have more data and more information on it,” said Lissette Perez-Munoz, a teacher at Terra.

7News cameras captured Terra students looking up at the sky with their sunglasses on as the eclipse took over the South Florida sky. Others used their own imagination to protect their eyes.

“I know I’m supposed to use a solar filter, but I didn’t have the resources available, so I improvised with a photo filter I bought online and some tape,” said Isaac Litan, a student at Terra.

Over in Pompano Beach, science teacher Dianne Paillet’s class at Crystal Lake Middle School went through a play-by-play of the solar eclipse.

“It’s very cool, and basically we’re seeing, every single time a cloud goes over it, it gets smaller and brighter,” said one student.

“To be able to see it, live, it brings it out of the classroom and into real life,” said Paillet.

At Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in West Miami-Dade, the astronomy club enjoyed the eclipse to its full potential, as they used the paper sunglasses and state-of-the-art equipment to mark the moment.

A senior at the school described what he saw.

“Last time it came around, I was in sixth grade, but I did not have the opportunity to see it, so this is actually my first eclipse,” said Anthony Turbe, a senior at the school.

Other students said the eclipse provides scientists an opportunity to learn more about the universe.

“As much as a spectacle as it is, and as cool and interesting as it may look, it’s also a fantastic opportunity for scientists to make really important observations about the universe and the laws of physics as we understand them,” said Gaston Lacayo, a student at Terra.

Officials at Belen said their students have the technology to take their experience to the next level. They said they are the only school in the country that has a 16-inch telescope that is equipped to take quality snaps of the celestial sight.

They are also one of a handful of high schools in Florida that has an observatory.

“The observatory gets used a lot and often so that we can really expose the kids, especially, to these incredible things,” said Father Guillermo García-Tuñón, Belen’s president.

The solar eclipse was a great way to start the school week off on a high note.

Up north in Broward, at Markham Park, people were able to take a peep through a telescope to get a safe view of the moon passing between the Earth and the sun.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation experience that this is just very fascinating,” said Steven Luxenberg, president of the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association.

7News cameras captured Broward residents of all ages coming together to see the amazing phenomenon.

In Fort Lauderdale, the Riverwalk was packed with people wearing eclipse glasses.

After witnessing the event on the campus lawn and the zoo plaza, the students and children are now a little more prepared for the next one when it comes again in 20 years.

A magical concert encompassing the galaxy was held Sunday afternoon at the Moss Center in preparation of Monday’s total solar eclipse.

The celebration of space featured music from films including “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “Apollo 13” filling the auditorium.

Alhambra Orchestra, whose mission is to give everyone access to great classical music, recreated the classic soundtracks.

Frost Planetarium Director Alec Warren said attendants experienced an audiovisual journey through the cosmos.

“This is a wonderful partnership between the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, the Alhambra Orchestra of Miami and Frost Science,” he said. “The three organizations have come together to create an out-of-this-world concert experience for all the guests that are here. It’s a sold-out concert.”

The event also featured visuals from NASA to enhance the celestial experience.

The concert was a collaboration between Alhambra Orchestra and the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, which also plans to host its own eclipse event in time for the rare occasion, beginning Monday at noon.

The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale is also set to host its own eclipse viewing, Monday afternoon.

Warren said it’s always amazing to see the arts and science come together to inspire minds old and young alike.

Concertgoers on Sunday were given glasses to be prepared for the big day.

The Ed Ansin Best Buddies Friendship Walk, held Saturday morning at loanDepot Park in Miami, welcomed people of all ages.

Among the participants in the special annual event was 7News anchor Craig Stevens, who stepped up to the mic as the event’s emcee.

“Good morning, good morning, good morning. How are we?” he asked as the crowd responded with loud and enthusiastic cheers.

The fun-filled event featured walkers from across the country in support of the organization, which helps support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“I feel great, I’m excited. I love this organization, and we try so raise some money to help everybody, you know what I’m saying?” said Best Buddies Ambassador Duane Chin Loy.

Best Buddies aims to make the world more welcoming to everyone. The organization’s executive vice president, Mark Lewis, said the event’s importance is for a multitude of reasons, and he is grateful.

“It brings the community together. I actually grew up in this area — Allapattah, Little Havana. You’re gonna find out that some of our supporters here today, that have supported our organization the most, actually also grew up in this area,” he said, “and I think anything that brings together our population, socializes them, is enormously important.”

The Friendship Walk also supports the Best Buddies programs in schools, workplaces and communities.

7News is a proud sponsor. WSVN co-president and general manager Paul Magnes said the late Ed Ansin would love what this event is doing with the community.

“In his memory to do this walk. He loved walking, he loved being out in the community and making a difference,” said Magnes. “That’s what [Best Buddies International’s founder, chairman and CEO] Anthony Shriver and the Best Buddies community does for so many people in our community.”

Magnes said he’s proud to have this partnership.

“We’ve been part of Best Buddies, sponsoring them for many years, and we’re going to continue that partnership for many years to come,” he said. “We can’t think of a better way to get out in the community and make a difference for people and follow in Mr. Anthony’s footsteps.”

Participants said they appreciate the event and are thankful for what it does to our community.

Chin Loy said he got a job at a law firm thanks to the Best Buddies Foundation.

“Best Buddies is wonderful, man. I love it because it helps people like me be more included in society, with jobs, friendships,” he said, “and even now, they have a new thing which is Independent Living, and stuff like that, so Best Buddies is awesome, man.”

In 2023, the Friendship Walk raised more than $300,000. The Best Buddies Foundation is hoping to surpass that goal.

Video posted to Instagram showed Onyxia Delinois at the Miami Half Marathon back in January.

More than two months after the post, the 26-year-old is at the hospital in critical condition.

Delinois, an insurance broker, was out running in Miramar, Saturday morning.

Police said the victim was heading eastbound along Miramar Parkway, near 183rd Street, when a driver hit her and took off.

Miramar Police detectives are looking for help on the case.

Delinois’ Instagram account shows she just celebrated her first year of marriage in March. Now her family is by her side, hopeful for her recovery and for information that leads to a suspect.

If you have any information on this hit-and-run or the driver’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.

Trump, in an interview, had been asked about Democrats’ growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount.

“I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. “I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel.”

Trump, who last week became the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, went on to charge: “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.”

The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White House, President Joe Biden’s campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of Jewish Americans identify as Democrats, but Trump has often accused them of disloyalty, perpetuating what critics say is an antisemitic trope.

At the White House, spokesperson Andrew Bates cast the comments as “vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric” without mentioning Trump by name.

“As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world — among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust — leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it,” he said. “There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None.”

Biden’s campaign said, “The only person who should be ashamed here is Donald Trump.”

“Trump is going to lose again this November because Americans are sick of his hateful resentment, personal attacks, and extreme agenda,” said spokesman James Singer.

Jonathan Greenblatt, who heads the Anti-Defamation League, said, “Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory & patently false.”

“Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan support for the State of Israel,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Trump’s comments come as Biden has been facing mounting pressure from the progressive wing of his party over his administration’s support for Israel in its retaliatory offensive in Gaza. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

While Biden continues to back Israel’s right to defend itself, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu. After his State of the Union speech, he said he needed to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with the Israeli leader. He has also accused Netanyahu of “hurting Israel more than helping Israel,” saying, “he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”

Trump took particular issue with recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the country’s highest-ranking Jewish official. In a speech last week, Schumer sharply criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, warning that the civilian toll was damaging Israel’s standing around the world. He also called for Israel to hold new elections.

While the White House formally distanced itself from Schumer’s comments, the Democratic leader and key ally was voicing an opinion increasingly held across Biden’s administration.

Schumer — whom Trump accused of being “very anti-Israel now” — responded by accusing Trump of “making highly partisan and hateful rants.”

“To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship,” he wrote on X.

The Pew Research Center reported in 2021 that Jews are “among the most consistently liberal and Democratic groups in the U.S.,” with 7 in 10 Jewish adults identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party. In 2020, it found that nearly three-quarters of American Jews disapproved of Trump’s performance as president, with just 27% rating him positively.

Americans have also increasingly soured on Israel’s military operation in Gaza, according to surveys from The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In January, 50% of U.S. adults said the military response from Israel in the Gaza Strip had gone too far, up from 40% in November.

That number was higher among Democrats, 6 in 10 of whom said the same thing in both surveys.

Grainy surveillance video showed what investigators described as an arson attack behind the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center, Saturday morning.

The footage shows the suspect lighting up not just the vehicle but an air conditioning unit as well.

The vehicle belongs to Rabbi Chaim Slavaticki. He spoke with 7News on Sunday.

“This is the most important thing, that nobody was hurt. It could have been much worse,” he said. “It could have been an hour later, when the building would have been packed with people. It could have been a couple of hours earlier, in the middle of the night, and nobody would have noticed it to call 911, and the entire building would be gone.”

Slavaticki said he is grateful for the outpouring of support at a stressful and scary time.

“On Saturday, I don’t use my cellphone. Somebody’s knocking on my door, screaming, ‘Fire at the center, fire at the center!’ And I rushed over here,” he said.

Units with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, Fort Lauderdale Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco And Firearms responded to the scene.

Police tracked down and arrested Scott Hannaford. The 50-year-old faces charges of arson and criminal mischief involving a house of worship.

Investigators said the suspect has mental illness and at this point in their investigation, they don’t believe it is a hate crime.

Hannaford refused to appear in court on Sunday.

As for Slavaticki, he said he’s willing to wait for investigators to do their work, but he now needs to find some space to continue work for his community.

“The center houses the organization Friendship Circle for special needs kids. Every day there’s a life skills program. Young adults with special needs who come here, this is their home away from home,” he said. “This is something that will have an impact for a very long time on so many people.”

The fire destroyed a vehicle and this community’s sense of security, but Slavaticki says a prayer book that survived the flames is a symbol, and he will continue trying to bring light and purpose to Fort Lauderdale.

“The vehicle was completely destroyed — burned, couldn’t recognize the interior of the vehicle — and as they pulled out the vehicle, the police officer said, ‘I noticed a blue prayer book between the two seats, untouched,'” he said. “I think this was a hug from God.”

Along with the two counts of arson and criminal mischief, Hannaford was also charged with cocaine possession.

A neighboring church offered its sanctuary for Chabad services. Slavaticki held Sunday services at his home.

The incident happened Tuesday night in the area of Southwest Ninth Avenue and Eighth Street.

According to City of Miami Police, the victim was crossing the road when he was struck by the vehicle. The driver did not stop.

Video from a nearby dashcam shows the 40-year-old victim crossing the street, while looking down at what appears to be a cellphone, when one car passes by, almost hitting him. As the man continues crossing the road, a second car hits him.

Video shows the victim flying in the air as the car keeps on going and then turns a corner and disappears from the camera’s view.

People around the area screamed in horror and ran toward the victim.

The victim was identified as 40-year-old Tomas Brito.

Paramedics with Miami Fire Rescue took the victim to Ryder Trauma Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Speaking with 7News hours later, Brito’s family said he had a big heart and are now left devastated and searching for answers.

“A lovely person, a big heart,” said Brito’s mother, Dulce del Pino. “Tomas has two kids; now they don’t have a father no more.”

Brito’s family said he was on his way to a nearby store to get some food.

His family can’t find the answers as to why the driver didn’t stop.

“Worst-case scenario, someone who’s heartless. Doing something like this and just taking off, like, I can’t, you know, imagine,” said family member Katia Gonzalez.

But loved ones hope the driver behind the wheel finds it in their heart to do the right thing.

“Please, I want to tell the person who killed my son, please, go to the police and say ‘I did it.’ Please,” said del Pino.

Investigators said they found a silver BMW that matches the description of the suspected car which has damages consistent with what they were looking for, abandoned in front of a home near the crash site.

However, as of late Wednesday night, the driver remains on the loose.

Police said it is only a matter of time until the driver of the car is found.

“Now we know we have the vehicle, the damage on it was consistent with the accident. So now it’s a matter of putting the driver behind the wheel and making our arrest, and he’s facing felony charges,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega.

Police said that if the driver had stayed on the scene when the crash occurred, they wouldn’t have even gotten a ticket due to the pedestrian not being on a sidewalk while crossing the street. But since the driver left the scene and did not render aid to the victim, they are now facing serious charges.

“If that vehicle driver had stopped and stayed on the scene, he probably wouldn’t have gotten the ticket. By leaving the scene, now he’s facing felony charges,” said Vega.

If you have any information on this hit-and-run or the driver’s whereabouts, 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.

The bad bite sent Rodrigo Constain, a husband, father and grandfather, to the hospital where he is recovering at Jackson South Medical Center.

“Right now I feel good because I’m alive,” said Constain.

The incident happened on Sunday at the Flamingo Marina in Everglades National Park.

According to the National Park Service, Constain reportedly capsized his boat while he was in the marina basin after being out in the water for a few minutes. After his boat went down, he attempted to swim to shore with his boat when he was seen going under water.

While he tried to take care of his boat problem, the crocodile swam up to Constain and bit his leg. He said his naval and sailing experience kicked in when the bite occurred.

“My leg that was in the water, I knew my leg was stuck,” said Constain.

Soon, he saw himself fighting to free himself from the jaws of a crocodile. He took matters and the crocodile’s snout into his own hands.

“I tried to reach the boat again, to climb it, and I told myself ‘No, I cannot do that because if I try to climb it, he will grab me again,'” said Constain. “So, I put the boat in my back and pulled it with a rope and went underneath the boat and pulled it to the deck again and go swimming there so I can be rescued.”

Park rangers and first responders located him and treated a laceration on his leg. He was then airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson South Medical Center in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Constain’s wound has to stay open to prevent infection. He said he is in pain but is assured that there is only one reason why he survived.

“There’s only explanation of this, is God. He saved my life. He was with me in that moment,” said Constain.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the chances of getting bitten by an alligator in Florida is about 1 in 3.1 million. Experts say the bites are rare because crocodiles are shy animals.

Constrain said that if he didn’t get out of the water, this would have had a very different ending.

“The crocodile was still swimming. I have pain but nothing matters. I feel good that I’m here, alive,” said Constain.

Constain’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses. They say he works as a air conditioning technician and he can’t do his job as he recovers.

Michael Luprecio was charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under the age of 13 and aggravated battery.

The victim, 13-year-old Candace Ramirez, spoke with 7News.

“I don’t know to be honest,” she said. “A bit sick right now.”

After her ordeal, Ramirez was left shocked and distraught.

“I was just crying, you know, ’cause like, it’s never really happened to me and like, I was just thinking about it and how and why did this happen to me? Why did this happen to me?” she said.

According to the arrest report, on Friday, Homestead Police responded to the scene where the alleged kidnapping happened. Once at the scene, an officer met with Ramirez and her mother.

Ramirez, the report stated, told the officer that she was walking her dog in front of her home along SW Fourth Street when she saw a dark Chevrolet turn directly into her driveway. She then saw Luprecio getting out of the car, opened the hood and started looking underneath the bay of the hood as if he was trying to fix his car.

The 13-year-old then said she started walking towards her yard and passed Luprecio. When she walked towards her door, Luprecio, she said, suddenly lunged towards her and grabbed her right wrist and lower buttocks, which caught her by surprise.

“I just ignored it ’cause I didn’t know him and all of a sudden he tried to grab me and then I pushed him away, I screamed at him, and then he grabbed my lower bottom and I was shocked, I couldn’t do anything,” she said.

According to police, Luprecio tried to put the teen into his car.

During a struggle with Luprecio, she said she screamed for help and was able to break free from his grip, ran inside her home and called the police.

“I just ran into my house,” she said. “He [her dog] started barking but he couldn’t do anything, you know, because of his size.”

CCTV video from a nearby business captured Luprecio entering his vehicle and fleeing the scene east on SW Fourth Street.

As detectives continued to investigate the case, they were able to locate Luprecio’s vehicle, which was parked at 1221 NW 9th St. Through video surveillance, detectives saw Luprecio entering his vehicle and drove away.

Officers then made contact with Luprecio during a traffic stop at the 900 block of Northwest Eighth Street in reference to an obscured tag. Luprecio told officers that he had a suspended license.

Luprecio was then read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak to police without an attorney present.

He was arrested and was transported to the Homestead Police Department for booking and was later transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center

Luprecio appeared in court Monday afternoon, where a judge denied him bond.

“I’m gonna hold him no bond,” said the judge. “Sign the order granting a pre-trial detention hearing.”

Luprecio’s attorney asked the judge to release the suspect so he can attend a cancer treatment on Tuesday but the judge said the judge hearing his case will have to decide that.

Police said Luprecio has a criminal history.

“This person does have a criminal history. It is not his first run in with the law,” said Homestead Police Department Captain Fernando Morales.

When told that police captured Luprecio, Ramirez was relieved.

“You know they caught the guy?” said the reporter.

“They did?” she said.

“Yeah. Does that bring you any type of closure?” the reporter said.

“Yeah,” she said.

Now, Ramirez is trying to crack a smile and for the first time in several days, she can smile knowing that Luprecio is now behind bars.

“I just want to say to the girls, all of them out there, to always bring something to defend yourself if a man comes up to you,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez’s mother said she will stay home from school for a few days to catch up on some rest, ease on some of the stress, and spend some time with her chihuahua, Milo.

Homestead Police believe this may have happened to someone else. If something similar happened to you or someone you know, regarding the suspect, contact Homestead Police.

Public records showed that 43-year-old Victor Montalvo posted bond, Wednesday morning. 7News cameras were there as he walked out of jail and shook his head to questions he left unanswered.

“Anything you would like to say? I mean, you are a police officer, trusted to follow the law and enforce the law,” 7News reporter Jessica Holly asked.

A 7News crew was exclusively outside the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as Montalvo walked out and hid in a lobby as he waited for his ride. Once the ride arrived, he slipped out through a rear door and took off.

Investigators said the incident unfolded around 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday while Montalvo was on duty.

The officer was heading west on Southwest 72nd Street in his unmarked black Ford Explorer SUV when he struck an occupied marked police vehicle stationed on 72nd Street.

Neighbors in the area reacted to the incident on Wednesday morning.

“Driving drunk … is just not something I can deal with,” said area resident Klaus Eylerts.

According to officials, the marked police car was blocking the inner lane to ensure the safety of road workers in the area. A police report stated that after the crash Montalvo “unsteadily” exited the SUV while the police officer in the marked vehicle checked on the workers.

A crew worker then reportedly told the police officer that Montalvo was “laying prone in the roadway.”

The officer then reportedly saw Montalvo reach for the front of his waistband, draw a semi-automatic firearm and take “what appeared to be a low-ready, prone, tactical-type position with what appeared to be a dazed or confused look on his face.”

Montalvo quickly dropped his gun after the police officer loudly ordered him to drop his weapon. The officer kicked it away and handcuffed Montalvo before placing him in the back of a police car.

At one point during the arrest, Montalvo said, “I drank too much,” to an officer. Other officers who arrived at the scene said Montalvo’s breath smelled of alcohol.

According to the arrest report, officer smelled “an odor of an alcoholic beverage on the defendant’s breath, see his watery eyes, hear his slurred speech.”

Despite police telling him of the consequences of refusing a sobriety test, Montalvo refused to take one.

While Montalvo was in the back seat of the police car, he peed himself, investigators said.

The crash resulted in injuries that were not life-threatening to both officers involved.

Montalvo, who had a 20-year tenure on the force, was charged with DUI and causing property damage. He was held on a $2,000 bond before his release.

In response to the incident, Director Stephanie V. Daniels released a statement:

“As the police Director, I am disheartened by the recent incident involving one of my officers who was arrested for driving under the influence, while on duty. My officers are held to the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty, and the actions of this individual do not reflect the core values of our department. The officer has been relieved of duty and we will continue to work with the State Attorney’s office throughout the judicial process.”

Miami Police arrived at one of the scenes, located at Northwest 55th Street and 10th Avenue, Tuesday afternoon.

7News cameras captured a silver sedan at the scene that was damaged. A tarp covered the driver’s side window and the left rear passenger window and door was riddled with bullets.

The second scene was just blocks away, at the Miami Police North Station at Northwest 62nd Street and 11th Avenue.

“Tell us about the fact that one of these scenes was literally at the doorstep of the Miami Police substation,” the reporter said.

“Correct. It’s very disturbing, I mean this scene, one of them right outside our North Station,” said Miami Police Capt. Freddie Cruz.

According to police, one of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene and the other victim died at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

The third victim is listed in stable condition.

“This happened in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon,” said Cruz. “This is a moment where we’re asking the community, please, if you saw something, you know something, come forward, help us put the person or persons responsible for this vicious, violent crime behind bars.”

Neighbors were shocked to hear the gunshots in what they say is a quiet neighborhood.

“It’s a quiet neighborhood. Quiet everyday,” said Altenese Mckay, a 15-year resident of the area.

She said that at first, she thought the gunfire were sounds of fireworks.

“When I came out, all I see is a car stopped and the man was slumped over,” said Mckay.

Another resident, Goddess Kimbrough, has also lived in the area for 15 years and said she heard the gunfire while she was on a call.

“I knew the difference between the rapid gunfire and firecracker,” said Kimbrough.

Police have not given a description of any suspect or suspects.

An investigation is underway.

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

Police responded to the area of Southwest 256th Street and 109th Avenue in Princeton last month.

The owner, Juan Galindo, said three of his furry family members were snatched.

“Two people jumped our fence and then took three of our puppies, like, the mom and two of her babies,” said Galindo.

In the home’s surveillance video, the dogs are heard screaming as a subject, dressed in a hoodie, grabs and tosses the puppies and their mother over the fence to another subject who is on the other side.

“The babies, the babies, he just throws them and you see them falling,” said Galindo.

The video shows the dogs hit a trash can before falling to the ground. The subject then jumps the fence and takes off with the dogs.

“They’re joy. Dogs are joy. It’s incredible that people are willing to take that away just for money,” said Galindo.

Galindo said he believed the dognappers were waiting for the perfect time to snatch and dash.

“Fifteen minutes after I went out is when they came in,” said Galindo. “So they were waiting on me, like they were waiting on us to go out.”

The family said the dogs require care. The dogs haven’t received all their vaccines yet so they don’t have microchips.

Galindo said this is not the first time the mother dog has been stolen. She was returned home after being stolen because they canvassed their neighborhood, flooded the area to get information on the dog’s whereabouts, and offered a reward.

He said the mother dog is recovering from a surgery that she underwent after the ordeal.

“Someone texted me a picture of my dog, like, ‘Oh is this your dog?’ but they sent a picture of my actual dog and I was like I could recognize her, you know?” said Galindo.

Galindo said along with his dogs, the thieves also stole the family’s sense of security.

“If you got someone coming in, masked up at 12 in the afternoon like, they’re willing to do anything. They’re not afraid of the consequences,” said Galindo.

Galindo said there are still three puppies at home.

The family hopes someone finds their three missing dogs and returns them. They have filed a report with Miami-Dade Police.

If you have any information on this crime, 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.

The recipients of kindness on wheels were a group of second graders at North Twin Lakes Elementary School in Hialeah.

Wednesday morning, the students marched in a straight line to the school’s auditorium, where each one of them got a superhero cape and a one-dollar bill.

After a fun presentation, a big surprise awaited. The stage’s blue curtain opened to reveal the surprise.

Each of the students walked away with a brand-new scooter. They even got to pick between two colors.

“I’m happy because I got something that I don’t have, and I really like this color,” said one of the students.

Random Acts of Kindness Month activities aim to teach children the importance of being kind, even when no one’s watching.

“This is a random act of kindness. Giving people things that they don’t have is nice,” said the student.

The students from Chicago made a small donation to make this surprise possible, helping Jose Fernandez, North Twin Lakes Elementary’s principal, teach these students a meaningful lesson.

“Spreading kindness is a wonderful character trait, so it’s very important for our students to understand that it is important to have, but it’s also more important to give,” he said.

Kindness is a subject that school counselor Kaylin Miller has discussed with the students.

“I went into their classrooms every day for the last week, and we talked a lot about random acts of kindness and what it means to be kind, and we did a lot of activities,” she said.

Organizers hope that with this effort, these young minds grow up to be their own kindness warriors.

“They’ve learned a lot about how it’s important to be kind, even if the other person isn’t doing something kind for us back,” said Miller.

“Because when you’re kind, they’d be kind back to you,” said another student.

The school’s staff were treated to some deep dish pizza, which was also flown in from Chicago.

Pembroke Pines Police said the four female dogs were left at the front door of Pasadena Lakes Animal Clinic on Wednesday morning with a note from the owner.

The note read “Doctor, I got evicted yesterday, have nowhere to go, please take care of them.”

“Fortunately, there was staff that arrived early in the morning and reported it to law enforcement, so we were able to make sure the animals got out of harm’s way and were properly treated,” said Pembroke Pines Police Department Sgt. Jason Palant.

According to Florida law, it is illegal to abandon animals in this way.

“Although sometimes financial impacts do affect everyone, there are ways we can properly reunite or rehome these animals,” said Palant.

Moments after the dogs, who are approximately 1 year old and weigh 40 pounds, were abandoned, the vet’s office found foster homes for three of the dogs almost immediately.

One of the dogs was briefly taken to the kennel at the police station but then found a foster home as well.

The fourth dog is at Pooches in Pembroke Pines as it looks for a new home.

Police said they have found the owner, who may face charges.

“These animals were left in two separate cages with minimal space, no food, no water,” said Palant.

This is not the first time dogs have been abandoned in the Broward County area.

Last year, a similar situation occurred in Margate when a woman tied her dog to the door of the United for Animals Adoption Center and drove away.

Fortunately, that abandoned dog found a new home quickly.

Police said that while they understand that people face economic hardship, abandoning pets at a veterinarian is not a solution.

“We want to encourage people that if you find yourself no longer able to care for your pets that you make sure you safely turn them over to make sure they can receive the care and treatment that they deserve,” said Palant.

There are multiple animal rescues throughout Broward County that can offer assistance if a person feels they can no longer take care of their pet, including the Broward County Humane Society and the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center.

“The total number of reported cases at Manatee Bay Elementary, as of this morning, is now seven,” Licata said. “The individual impacted by this latest case has not physically been on campus since February 15th. As of now, all confirmed cases for Broward County Public Schools are specific to Manatee Bay Elementary with no other district schools impacted,” Licata said. “We continue to work closely with the Florida Department of Health in Broward and appreciate their guidance.”

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz addressed the increase in cases and called on Florida Governor Ron Desantis to fire Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

“I want to make clear today that our state leaders our failing us on this front,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Measles is a public health threat to Florida and so is Joe Ladapo.”

Over the weekend, FDOH reported two additional cases of measles in Broward County.

Originally, six cases of measles were identified at Manatee Bay Elementary School, but BCPS officials on Monday confirmed that those two latest cases reported over the weekend did not come from the elementary school.

It remains unknown where those two cases of measles came from.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that unvaccinated children quarantine for up to 21 days if they have been exposed to the measles virus. However, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, has granted parents the authority to determine how long their children can quarantine.

Critics are calling for Ladapo’s firing after providing his guidance in regards to the outbreak.

Wasserman Schultz said Ladapo should’ve followed CDC guidelines and declared a health emergency.

“That did not declare an emergency, did not discuss, recommend or require vaccinations and did not require quarantining potentially exposed children,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Instead, Ladapo places the key decisions fully on parents. Imagine that burden. Wrongly claiming that we have sufficient immunity in place. Surgeon General Ladapo needs to go.”

“It seems that the State Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, has backed away from them and taken a casual attitude about those critical public health measures,” said Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Paul Offit.

Health officials say people who have been vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella are 98% protected. Health experts explain that transmission can happen about four days before a rash appears and four days after.

“The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after the person leaves the room. That’s one of the reasons why it is so very contagious. Another problem is that people are contagious or infectious before they get the rash, up to four days ahead of time, so they can unwittingly infect other people before they even have measles,” said Dr. Mary Jo Trepka
infectious disease epidemiologist

“The problem with measles is that we’ve, not only largely eliminated the disease, it’s we’ve eliminated the memory of the disease, and now, somehow, than we feel we can treat it causally. That’s a mistake,” said Offit. “Measles is not a disease you want to catch, it’s not just one of those trivial childhood infections that everyone gets through. Secondly, measles is often a pneumonia. When you get chest X-rays on children with measles, a large percentage have abnormal chest X-rays. Don’t fool around with this disease. Make sure you’re vaccinated.”

According to the school district, about 30% of students at Manatee Bay Elementary are unvaccinated. On Tuesday, 82 students remained absent from school. The school district is urging all unvaccinated students to get the measles vaccine.

Manatee Bay’s 21-day exposure window closes on March 7th. School officials hope there are no more cases in the days to come.

7News reached out to the FDOH for a response but has yet to hear back.

In Florida, there are a total of 10 measles cases reported. One case of the disease was reported in Polk County.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at the scene at the 5400 block of Northwest 184th Street, Monday morning.

7Skyforce hovered over the scene, where the child lay on a gurney as rescue crews placed multiple bandages on her head, her foot and her arm.

According to authorities, the child was bitten by the dog multiple times.

A dog was seen near the home but it’s unclear if this was the animal involved in this incident.

It is unclear if the pet that bit the girl is the family pet.

The victim was transported by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

An adult was seen accompanying the young girl before she was placed on the helicopter and then again as she was being put inside the helicopter.

7News cameras capture the medical chopper as it landed at the hospital.

The girl’s condition is not known.

7News has reached out to Miami-Dade Animal Control Services to see what steps they will take in regards to the dog that bit the child. They have not responded to 7News’ inquiry.

At 18, Misgorgeous Saffo is learning important lessons about hard work, sacrifice and home ownership because of her family’s experience with the nonprofit.

“This journey has been really, really, really, really long,” she said during Saturday’s dedication ceremony.

After years of hardship, the Saffos received the keys to a dream.

“Not only to become homeowners, but just trusting us enough to be a part of the community,” said Saffo.

After qualifying for the home, Habitat families are granted an interest-free mortgage and work on the home with volunteers, putting in some sweat equity along the way.

The Saffo family not only got a key to their new home in a Rick Case Habitat Community in Pompano Beach; one of their new neighbors presented a special welcome basket

“A pound of flour. May you never know hunger. A pound of salt. You will always have flavor in your lives,” said the neighbor. “A pound of sugar. May you always have sweetness. A pound of a candle. May you always have light.”

Thoughtful neighbors are wonderful, but for so many South Florida families, the biggest struggle is finding any affordable housing.

Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin said that with Habitat for Humanity’s help, the dream of home ownership isn’t out of reach.

“The teachers, the firefighters, the mail carriers. I mean, you name it. We’ve got people who can’t afford to live here,” he said.

The Saffos’ home is one of 76 in the neighborhood — part of a Habitat ProBuild.

The international company Balfour Beatty found 10 subcontractors to pay for supplies for the home, but the company’s project manager, Napoleon Perez, had a more personal reason for getting involved.

“Growing up, seeing my family struggling, being able to do this for someone else is the only right thing to do, you know?” he said. “We saw the opportunity, we brought everyone together. Everyone felt the same way.”

WSVN is a longtime supporter and sponsor of Habitat for Humanity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami
305-634-3628
www.miamihabitat.org

Habitat for Humanity of Broward
954-396-3030
www.habitatbroward.org

Angie Lewis said she was with a friend when they stopped at a traffic light, at around 10 p.m., Thursday.

“I can’t even tell you what happened. I couldn’t at that moment figure out what was happening,” she said. “All of a sudden, my roof caved in, in the back of the truck. The truck shook, and then I realized a car had come off the 95 on-ramp above us and landed on us.”

Lewis said the impact sounded like an explosion.

“I thought maybe a bomb went off, or someone rammed into the stopped cars,” she said, “and then I thought, ‘Maybe the bridge collapsed.'”

Lewis said she then saw the Mercedes-Benz and realized it had fallen from the overpass directly above her.

Palm Beach Gardens Police said the car was driven by a juvenile who was trying to get away from officers.

Investigators said the young motorist took the curve too fast and fell off the side, onto Lewis’ GMC Yukon Denali.

“It was chaos. There were parts all over the road. There was the Mercedes in the middle of the road on all four tires,” said Lewis. “It was like a movie, a scene out of a movie, but I was living it.”

Somehow, no one was injured.

Lewis said the back half of the truck’s roof had collapsed onto the back seats.

Nobody was sitting there at the time, but Lewis said it is where her young daughters always sit when they’re with her.

“It comes in waves. I think about it, I cry, because it’s her seat that got demolished, and had she been there, she may not be here now,” she said.

Lewis describes herself as lucky — lucky her girls weren’t in the vehicle, lucky she wasn’t parked a few feet farther back, and lucky to still be alive.

“When I think about what could have happened. I didn’t sleep at all last night — my heart was racing, I couldn’t breathe — but we’re here,” she said.

Police haven’t specified why they were trying to stop the Mercedes, only saying it was a traffic violation. They have apprehended the driver.

The update, provided by BCPS spokesperson John J. Sullivan on Saturday afternoon, brings the total number of cases reported at Manatee Bay Elementary School to four.

The school district confirmed one case at the school on Friday afternoon.

Sullivan issued a statement that reads:

“The health, safety and welfare of our students and staff remain our utmost priority. The District continues to work closely with the Florida Department of Health – Broward following three additional confirmed measles cases at Manatee Bay Elementary School. The school’s principal is keeping families informed and following health department guidelines to safeguard our community.”

John J. Sullivan, Chief Communications and Legislative Affairs Officer, Broward County Public Schools

Officials with FDOH in Broward said those who have had the full series of MMR vaccines — the shots for measles, mumps and rubella — are about 98% protected from the disease.

FDOH officials said they are working with BCPS to investigate the four cases at Manatee Bay Elementary.

Dr. Ron Ford, chief medical officer at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, said measles is caused by viruses like the cold, flu or COVID-19.

Ford said the disease starts with high fever, cough, inflammation around the eyes and its most telltale symptom.

“The hallmark of measles is the rash, though, and that occurs a few days later. The rash is red, dotted rash that starts on the face, around the hairline, behind the ears, and then spreads to the trunk and then to the extremities,” he said. “That’s one of the unique features of the measles rash, is where it starts and the way it spreads.”

Experts say the transmission period is roughly four days before the rash is visible and four days after the rash appears.

South Florida is not alone is seeing mounting measles cases.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 20 measles cases in 11 other states as of Thursday: Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Also on Thursday, a House subcommittee on the COVID pandemic talked about lower rates of vaccinations.

“I’m very concerned with the hesitancy by so many today to vaccinate their children. That’s a grave concern of mine,” said U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup from Ohio.

“Right now, we are already witnessing an alarming rise in overall vaccine hesitancy, which has been fueled by myths and disinformation spread online during the last four years,” said U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz from California.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said vaccines save lives.

“Vaccines work. We know from clear and compelling evidence that vaccines save the lives of millions of children and adults every year by producing immune responses that prevent diseases such as measles, influenza and COVID-19,” said Marks.

Officials have not specified whether it was a student or staff who brought the disease to Manatee Bay Elementary.

Officials urge people who notice any of the symptoms in their households to contact their health provider before going to their office.

FDOH officials said the details of their investigation will be kept confidential.

According to the CDC, measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but the number of Americans who are unvaccinated or undervaccinated led to a spike of cases in 2019, the largest number in 27 years.

Camille Harrison, Frederick Climpson’s mother: “We’ve told you all about his condition. Ma’am, he’s been traveling 42 miles for the last two months, OK?”

A mom is fed up with a Miami-Dade County Transportation service after things went sour when her paralyzed son needed a ride.

Camille Harrison: “It built up to a point where I was like, ‘OK, I’m done,’ because I’m frustrated.”

Camille Harrison is doing all she can to get her son Frederick back to the energetic teenager he once was. Back in September, a helmet-to-helmet hit at a Homestead Senior High School football game left him severely injured.

Frederick now needs a wheelchair. He relies on Miami-Dade County’s Special Transportation Service, or STS, to get him to his weekly physical therapy appointments.

The service, funded by tax dollars, allows county residents with disabilities to ride for $3.

Camille Harrison: “It’s a service that gets my son back and forth to his doctor’s appointments or anywhere he needs to go, if he needs to run errands or anything.

The ride to rehab is more than 40 miles from Frederick’s Florida City home.

Because of his spinal injury, he has to recline his chair throughout the day to keep his blood flowing, which means he has to ride in the front of the van to have enough space.

Camille Harrison: “The dispatcher told us that if we want those type of accommodations for him, that we have to let them know ahead of time.”

The family says they did call the county ahead of time. But things got heated on Feb. 6 when a driver put Frederick in the back.

Camille Harrison: “I said, ‘No, no, he don’t go to the back. I had made special accommodations for him in his notes.’ He called dispatch, and then he told me, ‘Oh, they’re going to send somebody else.’ I said, ‘No, if they send somebody else, he won’t make it in time to his appointment.'”

Camille recorded as her son was forced off the van.

Camille Harrison: “‘Get off, get off, ma’am. Get off.’ I said, ‘No, I’m not going anywhere. Call the police,’ and they was like, ‘If police dispatch you, you can lose – you can lose the service.'”

Frederick missed his appointment that day, and for the next three days, the van didn’t come to pick him up.

The Miami-Dade Transit website says it is responsible for “resolving riders’ concerns.”

But Camille says, after several calls to the county, nothing has been done.

Camille Harrison: “They need to retrain their workers. They need to teach them compassion.”

Frederick is now using a new transportation service paid through his insurance. But Camille hopes the county addresses problems like these because the transportation service is vital for so many.

Camille Harrison: “My son, he was like, ‘This how I’m going to be treated?’ Like, he already had a traumatic injury.”

Frederick has a long road ahead of him. He certainly didn’t need this transportation trouble.

Robbin Simmons, 7News.

The county told 7 Investigates that it does not have a record of Frederick’s family reaching out about his accommodation prior to the incident. They are reviewing what happened and say they will try to accommodate all reasonable requests from riders.

The county released the following statement to 7News:

We are aware of the incident involving Frederick Climpson and his mother on February 6, 2024, after requesting STS transportation services. We take all reports of service-related issues seriously and are committed to ensuring the safety and accessibility of our transportation services for all passengers, including those with special needs. 

Upon review of the incident, it has been determined that Frederick’s mother, the Primary Care Attendant (PCA), contacted the DTPW Paratransit call center on the day of the incident. Upon arrival of the STS vehicle at her home, Frederick’s mother expressed concerns regarding the seating arrangement for Frederick. According to her, he requires unique transportation accommodations due to his condition. Our staff provided guidance regarding the process for requesting reasonable accommodations and asked her to contact the DTPW ADA officer for further assistance.

Unfortunately, during this interaction, there was some misunderstanding, and the situation escalated, leading to delays in service for other STS clients. We understand that passengers may sometimes require accommodations beyond our standard procedure, and while we strive to accommodate all reasonable requests, there are instances where requests fall outside what is permissible and can inadvertently impact our riders. 

We encourage passengers who require special accommodations to become familiar with the County’s STS guidelines and policies and to proactively communicate their needs to our call center, allowing us to better assist them. Additionally, DTPW is committed to working closely with our service contractor to continue providing the highest level of service and customer experience.

We understand the frustration Frederick Climpson and his mother experienced and we regret any inconvenience caused. We remain dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and inclusive transportation services to all residents of Miami-Dade County. We will ensure that our team reviews this incident carefully to identify any areas for improvement and to prevent similar situations in the future.

Calvin Sykes
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works

CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
7Investigates@wsvn.com

As South Floridians, we are used to seeing iguanas, owls, and possums, but Shari Lamadore saw a bobcat.

Shari Lamadore, the homeowner of a home in the area of NW 42nd Street and 120th Lane, said this is not the first time she sees wild animals roaming around.

“A buck, an otter, coyotes, foxes, haven’t seen any foxes for a while,” said Lamadore.

Lamadore said she and her husband had seen the stubby tail and the fluffy ears of a bobcat on her home surveillance video a couple times. But on the night of Feb. 8, they saw the big kitty with their own eyes.

“I like to think of her as a ‘she’ cause she was so beautiful!” said Lamadore. We’ve seen a bobcat I want to say there’s two but I don’t know but it could be a young one growing up”

Lamadore said she and her husband were in awe when they came face-to-face with the bobcat.

“When you’re sitting on the couch and see this beautiful creature looking it at you it’s nothing but awe,” said Lamadore.

You should not be surprised if you catch a glimpse of a bobcat as they can be found in all of Florida’s 67 counties.

One of the reasons why the Lamadores had a close encounter with the bobcat could be the breeding calendar. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website said that a bobcat’s breeding season peaks in the months of February and March.

Lamadore said that the bobcat’s shrinking habitat could be another reason why the animal was roaming her backyard.

“We’re taking over their habitat but we’re not rebuilding one back for them like we do in other countries that we destroy, we rebuild,” said Lamadore.

Still, the self-described animal lover is still overjoyed about her safe encounter with the backyard bobcat.

“No words. It’s just beautiful, surreal, awesome, amazing. Once in a lifetime feeling.”

Lamadore told 7News that she was so excited about what she was seeing, that she wanted to take a closer look but her husband convinced her against it.

While she was excited to see it for herself, she wants to let her neighbors to know about the bobcat sighting so that they keep an eye out as they head out with their pets and their children.

The family held a press conference at the Miami Gardens Police station, Tuesday afternoon.

“This is Zamari’s family, and all of us miss him dearly. All of us miss Zamari dearly because that’s the type of person he really was,” said Sherita Smalls, the victim’s mother. “He left a mark on the family.”

On Jan. 15, 2014, at around 7:55 p.m., 16-year-old Zamari Pierre Louis was walking home when he was shot and killed in front off 15941 NW 18th Ave.

Ten years after Louis’ murder, detectives have exhausted all their leads and have not been able to identify the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting.

“We do believe Zamari was targeted,” said Miami Gardens Acting Detective Jeremy McIntyre. “He was walking home from a local store, so we do believe he was targeted. There are some other details in regards to the case that I can’t release at this time, but we do believe he was targeted.

During the conference, a video of Louis was shared, and his mother said that there are too many mothers like her who are grieving for their children who were killed in unsolved cases.

“I really wish that they would come forward and have a heart because to me they are cowards,” she said. “They’re killing our kids but they’re running away from it. So he’s nothing but a coward. You feel like, ‘Oh, he could just take somebody’s family member away and it’s just OK,’ but you’re still running.”

For Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma K. Noel-Pratt, cold cases like this are especially meaningful for her department.

“Our goal is always to try to find closure for the family,” Noel-Pratt said.

If you have any information on this crime, 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.

“I turned back around to find out it wasn’t a dog, it was a lamb and they had it on the ground and they were trying to give it water,” said Trisha Widowfield.

Widowfield, a lawyer by trade who specializes in medical malpractice, said her training instinct took over as she approached the baby sheep.

“I see a lot of babies without mom so, you know, this kinda tore at me that this baby sheep was there without its mom and so we needed to take care of it,” said Widowfield.

Seeing the lamb in distress, Widowfield said they restrained the lamb to try to keep it from going away. She then rescued the lamb from the busy South Florida roadways and called her vet, who connected her to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Fort Lauderdale.

The team at the Veterinary Emergency Group said the animal looks well-cared for and behaves well.

“My best guess, I mean this guy was probably at a petting zoo. They had a party in Aventura, Sunny Isles, and they may have forgotten, he may have jumped off of the truck,” said Veterinary Emergency Group’s Dr. Enio Sanmarti. “Anything that can fit through the door, we will treat, but we need to find him a real home.”

The staff said the baby lamb can, at times, be moody.

“He’s in a bad mood and you can see him, like he’s definitely pissed off for being in the cage,” said Sanmarti. “As soon as we open the cage, he does a little buckling and he just wants to jump out.”

Everyone involved in this baby lamb’s rescue hopes for a storybook ending.

“I don’t think that it had an owner but I’m hoping it does now,” said Widowfield.

The storybook ending could happen as Perry Burk and his 9-year-old son, Harlan, are ready to provide a lost lamb a forever home.

“My family has a small farm in Southwest Ranches, horses, cows, goats, chicken have come through rescue and fostering,” said Burk.

Burk said the baby sheep won’t be moody any longer as he’ll get to play with lots of other animals.

“All the animals on our farm are pets. He’ll have lots of friends to play with,” said Burk.

Burk’s little son said he recently lost his pet fish but feels better that he has a new animal.

“I get to brag to all my friends that I’m on the news,” said Burk.

The child said he suspects he and his sister will battle a little bit for the lamb’s affection but everything should be OK.

“When I heard there was a lamb running around Aventura, only one thing came to mind. This lamb is one of the luckiest animals alive today,” said Burk.

Burk said he usually lets his kids name the pets so his son wants to call the baby sheep ‘Berry’. Little did the new owners know that the baby lamb was found in the area of the Turnberry Resort in Aventura.

The scathing five-page report, released on Wednesday, shows a concerning trend at the seaquarium, indicating that, more than showing its age, it is a potential danger to animals and guests.

The seaquarium, which was the home of the killer whale known as Lolita for more than 50 years until the her death last August at 57, has recently been under fire by Miami-Dade County.

The USDA performed a routine check in October and found multiple violations, from inadequate housing for its marine mammals to a veterinary clinic overrun by ants.

Page 1 of the report states a sea lion waited weeks for cataract surgery. It reads:

“On 9/26/23, the medical record for ‘Sushi,’ an adult female California sea lion, stated that she had been holding her right eye closed and rubbing both eyes… By 10/15/23 and throughout the 3-day USDA inspection, she was completely refusing food, due to eye pain, per the medical records.”

USDA report

The housing for several animals was reported to be dangerous, but especially for a pair of dolphins: 30-year-old Ripley and 24-year-old Bimini.

The report states:

“On the morning of 9/22/23. one dolphin, ‘Ridley,’ housed at Flipper Stadium, presented to trainers with a two-inch nail, mangrove pods, and small pieces of shell in his throat. On the morning of 10/14/23, one dolphin, ‘Bimini,’ in Dolphin Harbor presented to trainers with a broken bolt in her mouth.”

USDA report

Back in January, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava pushed for a termination of the county’s lease with the seaquarium. At that time, seaquarium officials said they uphold “high standards of animal care.”

Margate Police and Fire Rescue responded to the scene, located in the area of 1400 NW 62nd Terrace, just after 12:15 p.m.

According to Kurtz Methelus, his grandfather was behind the wheel when he hit the gas, going through a privacy fence, the pool screen and into the pool.

“The car just got shipped in at 11 a.m. We were supposed to go out, I was backing up my car right here and I was going to have his car pull in. I jumped to the side because I saw the car coming so he would’ve ran me over if I didn’t move,” said Methelus.

The 79-year-old man, who suffers from Dementia, was pulled from the pool by other family members and is expected to be okay. Methelus went to the hospital to get his leg checked out but luckily had no fractures from the incident.

The Mercedes that submerged into the pool had just arrived from New York and was expected to be shipped to Haiti.

7Skyforce hovered over the scene, where a vehicle was seen in a residential swimming pool with damage around the pool area.

The grandfather said he doesn’t quite understand what happened.

“I told you I really don’t know, only God knows, I can’t explain this,” said Jacques Dieudonne.

The daughter of Dieudonne said she can’t explain how that happened.

“My son called me and that’s when, I don’t know, I can’t explain anything because I wasn’t there,” said Anne Dieudonne.

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

Cellphone video recorded by witnesses appeared to show the suspect pick something up from the ground and swing it at the animal.

“Get that dog away from him!” yelled one witness.

Raymon Prush watched it all go down at a gas station in Deltona after a man was seen attacking his own dog, Thursday afternoon.

“He’s beating the hell out of it for no reason. Poor dog.” said a 911 caller.

One of many bystanders who was recording the chaos yelled, “You’re recorded!”

“I see this guy walking a dog and it’s a dog. It’s beautiful dog, beautiful color,” recounted Prush, “And he yanked it because it tried to smell tire and hit in the face of the chain. I don’t understand why somebody could do that. It’s just it’s heartbreaking.”

He decided to step in and stop the man from hurting the dog any further. You can see Prush on cellphone video in a dark shirt approaching the suspect.

“He starts wailing the dog, wailing the dog, wailing the dog. The chain breaks, the dog breaks free, gets behind me,” said Prush.

That’s when Prush says other bystanders tried to shield the dog from its owner. The arrest report states multiple witnesses also saw the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Jose Rivera, punch the dog.

“It’s getting very ugly. There’s a whole bunch of guys getting ready to fight. Guy’s got a pit bull, and he’s being very abusive.” said the 911 caller.

Several people were seen stepping in to help the dog as the mayhem continued.

One of them grabbed the dog and put it in their car as they waited for deputies.

That action immediately sparked a fight between Rivera and a few people.

“I wasn’t going to let anybody get hurt, so I put myself in between,” recalled Prush. “He hit me in the face on this side, I guess, to try knock me down. That’s when I yoked him up, to get him to stop being violent and kind of pinned him against the pole in the gas tank over here.”

A few minutes went by before deputies showed up to calm the situation down.

“Can I stand up? I don’t want to sit down right now.” said Rivera.

“You have to sit down.” said deputy, “Put your hands behind your back.”

Rivera was arrested on the scene and later charged with animal cruelty and several counts of battery for the fight.

Deputies say a total of nine bystanders tried to get Rivera under control before they arrived. At least four of them, including Prush, would end up hurt.

A judge has set Rivera’s bond at $51,000.

Court records show Rivera has a history of violence, including several convictions for battery and domestic violence. Prush is still trying to wrap his head around how someone could hurt their own pet.

“We treat them as children. They live with us. They eat with us, they sleep with us,” said Prush. “They’re amazing things. And nobody deserves nor any animal deserves to get hit like that in the face. Especially with a metal chain. I just don’t understand how somebody could do that to something that’s so special.”

The dog is OK but it was found with cuts and open wounds; it was first turned over to animal control, but is now in the care of someone who does not live with Rivera.

The mayor finds himself under scrutiny following reports by the Miami Herald that reveal his alleged involvement in pushing for a no-bid contract with potential personal benefits.

Suarez started his State of the City address on Tuesday with words of honor and sacrifice.

“Public service is a public honor. It is also a personal sacrifice,” he said.

The mayor highlighted what he called government transparency in the Magic City, but shortly after the speech, the 46-year-old appeared to dodge questions from a Miami Herald reporter.

“Mayor Suarez, is there a reason you don’t want to talk to the Miami Herald,” a reporter asked. “Mayor Suarez, you claimed that you wanted to be the most transparent mayor in history. What happened to the transparency?”

Hours earlier, the newspaper published an investigation about how Suarez advocated for the no-bid contract for a startup. That company was actively negotiating a partnership with one of the mayor’s private employers.

The Herald reported that the employer was paying Suarez $20,000 a month at the time. Suarez is facing both state and federal investigations into his outside work.

Last June, Suarez sat down for an interview with 7News during his run for president. He denied any wrongdoing regarding an FBI investigation into payments he had received in his private role as a consultant from a developer with business in the city and whether those could be considered bribes.

“Did you do anything wrong in receiving those payments?” 7News reporter Jessica Holly asked.

“I didn’t,” responded Suarez.

“Are you concerned about the outcome of that investigation?” asked the reporter.

“I’m not, because I know that I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve never used my public position to benefit a private party, and I’m confident that will come out,” said Suarez.

These latest allegations have drawn the attention of Florida Democrats.

The Florida Democratic Party, represented by Chair Nikki Fried, issued a statement condemning Suarez’s actions, calling for his immediate resignation and urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to intervene if the mayor refuses to step down.

Fried’s statement reads in part, “As a native of Miami, it’s heartbreaking to see the city continue to be a hotbed for political corruption. Francis Suarez repeatedly used his public office for private gain, and has somehow escaped consequences to this point. His actions are a gross violation of the public trust, and the Florida Democratic Party is calling for his immediate resignation.”

The statement also emphasizes the need for accountability regardless of political affiliation.

“Politicians should be held accountable for their mistakes, no matter their political affiliation,” said Fried.

The Florida Democratic Party insists that if Mayor Suarez refuses to resign, Governor Ron DeSantis should take action to suspend him from office.

Suarez did not respond to a request for comment from 7News.

But the mayor did post a statement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where he said the Florida Ethics Commission had dismissed a “frivolous” complaint against him.

“

“Today, the Florida Ethics Commission formally dismissed yet another frivolous complaint filed against Miami Mayor Francis Suarez citing “lack of legal sufficiency”; concluding once again that the Mayor continues to act properly, following all laws and regulations. The Commission’s action exposes the coordinated coup attempt that radical liberal activists, political mercenaries, and their allies in the local leftist media have perpetrated in the City of Miami. For over a year, the Mayor has been the target of a vicious, dishonest smear campaign led by a small group of special interests hellbent on destroying our thriving city’s reputation and its prominent position on the world stage. Mayor Suarez will continue to serve the greater interests of the City of Miami and its residents, despite false and negative attacks as he works to continue making Miami America’s greatest city.”

Mayor Francis Suarez, X account.

Suarez is not the only Miami city leader in the midst of controversy.

During a city commission meeting earlier in January, two commissioners almost got into a physical altercation.

It came shortly after a federal judge directed U.S Marshal to seize Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo’s possessions after Carollo lost a multimillion-dollar lawsuit brought on by a pair of local business owners who said Carollo used his office to harass them.

Another city controversy is the removal of City Commissioner Alex Diaz De La Portilla after he was arraigned on charges that included money laundering and bribery.

DeSantis suspended de la Portilla from the District 1 commission seat, which has since been filled.

“Members, let the record reflect that House Bill 901 has passed out of this committee favorably with a vote of nine yeas and five nays,” said Republican State Rep. Randy Fine.

The controversial bill cleared the first hurdle in the Florida Legislature.

On Wednesday, a House subcommittee gave the first stamp of approval to the bill that is taking aim at what kinds of flags can be flown in local government buildings.

“The flag that should unite us, the flag of Florida, the flag of the United States, those will be the flags that are flown in our government meetings,” Fine said.

House Bill 901, filed by Fine and Republican State Rep. David Borrero of Sweetwater in December, would bar cities, counties and school districts from flying gay, trans or other flags that are deemed too political, such as those supporting groups like Black Lives Matter or political figures.

“People throw out these lines, ‘First Amendment,’ things like that, but they have no idea what they are actually talking about,” Fine said. “Government does not have First Amendment rights; people have First Amendment rights in their private capacity.”

But opponents said this move is just the latest attack on the LGBTQ+ community and would unfairly target a lot of South Florida cities.

“Wilton Manors is the second gayest city in the country per capita,” said Robert Boo with Pride Center of Florida. “The city should be able to put up an equality flag or a transgender flag and celebrate our community.”

Wilton Manors flies a pride flag high at a park along Wilton Drive. Some local leaders say that it should be left to each city.

“If a city wants to raise a flag in recognition or to honor a group or an organization, if we want to fly the [National Parent Teacher Association] flag, we’re going to do that,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis back in December. “If we want to fly a flag that commemorates a dignitary visiting from another country, we’re going to do that. That’s been the custom.”

Others are going to wait to see the final version to come out of the Legislature.

“I think we’ve had a discourse relative to the utilization of flags. I think we have to wait until that particular bill becomes law and see whether the rules that are going to be applicable to that,” said Miami-Dade Public Schools Board member Dr. Steve Gallon III, “but I think we have to square what’s done at the state level and what’s done at the school site level with what is allowable under the Constitution.”

If the bill does pass and is signed by Gov. Ron Desantis, it would go into effect on July 1, which is just one day after the end of Pride Month.

According to detectives, the shooting occurred on Wednesday afternoon along the 800 block of East Prospect Road.

7Skyforce hovered above the scene and captured an SUV with bullet holes through the windshield.

Investigators said deputies made contact with the subject, leading to a standoff and confrontation, resulting in multiple deputies firing their weapons.

“There was an attempt to apprehend the individual, a confrontation occurred, and deputies were forced to fire their weapons,” said BSO spokesperson Carey Codd. “Oakland Park Fire Rescue pronounced the individual deceased here on scene.”

J.D., a witness who was working at a car lot nearby, described what he saw as the cars rushed down Prospect Road.

“They made a right turn from Dixie Highway onto Prospect, and I saw their lights going, no sirens, and next thing I know, shots fired, at least 20 or more,” said J.D. “As soon as they passed my view, I heard yelling of some sort, and then, next thing you know, I heard shots fired.”

Authorities have blocked off the area for investigation.

The subject’s identity remains unknown, as detectives continue to investigate.

“He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to die this way,” said Susan Isaacs.

He came from Southeastern Ontario Canada, to see the Buffalo Bills take on the Miami Dolphins in South Florida on Jan, 7. But his trip ended in senseless tragedy.

The mother said the victim is her son, Dylan Issacs, a Bills fan who came to see the game and was not able to return home.

“I don’t know where people can be so cruel,” said Issacs.

The deadly altercation unfolded near Northwest 27th Avenue, just south of 199th Street, near the Hard Rock Stadium following Sunday night’s Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills football game.

Isaacs said following the game, her son was bumped by a vehicle as he walked with friends and family after the game at the Hard Rock Stadium.

“He tried to catch the guy who hit him and the guy just shot him. He just shot him. He shot my son,” said Isaacs.

Miami Gardens police have not identified the identity of the victim but said that they responded to a person shot near the stadium on Sunday night, just before midnight.

Police said they performed CPR on the victim but they did not survive.

A preliminary investigation revealed the victim and his friends walking through traffic when a verbal altercation ensued with an unidentified subject. The situation escalated as the subject exited their vehicle, firing multiple rounds, striking the victim; the subject fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Isaacs said her son’s friends stayed with her son until his last breath.

Miami-Dade fire rescue pronounced him dead on the scene.

“They watched him die,” said Isaacs.

Miami Gardens Police reported that the vehicle linked to the shooting has been located in West Palm Beach. Police haven’t identified the subject.

Tuesday night, Miami Gardens police revealed they have identified and interviewed a suspect.

The victim’s brother comforted his mother as she said the victim was a caring and invovled family member who loved Star Wars.

“He was my big teddy bear, my protector. He’s such a funny, hilarious guy and we’re remembering him with laughs and tears. Never take people for granted. Always love hard. Forgive. Don’t carry grudges,” said Issacs.

His family is trying to raise money to lay him to rest and to cover funeral costs. They would like to come down to South Florida to personally pick up his body and take it back to Canada. Isaacs’ family has set up a GoFundMe page for anyone who would like to help them out.

Miami-Dade Crimestoppers urges anyone with information to come forward and assist in the case.

If you have any information on this crime, 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.

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

7Skyforce hovered above Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews as they reached boaters in the Atlantic Ocean following a frantic search, Dec. 19.

7News acquired the 911 call that went out that afternoon, at around 5:10 p.m.

“Nine-one-one. What’s the address of your emergency?” asked the dispatcher.

“Yes, I’m in the ocean,” said one of the boaters.

The boater remained on the phone with the dispatcher for 17 minutes. The connection was bad, and there seemed to be confusion about where he was.

The boater said there were two people in the water. He repeatedly said they were somewhere off Haulover Park. The dispatcher appeared to mistake that for “Oliver.”

“I’m in front of the inlet,” said the boater.

“Inlet, like i-n-l-e-t?” asked the dispatcher.

“Inlet at Haulover Park,” said the boater.

“Oliver Park?” asked the dispatcher.

The boater remained mostly calm on the call, but he made it clear that time was critical.

“We go in the water in two minutes,” said the boater.

“What is the vessel description?” said the dispatcher.

“The vessel? We go in the water right now, so we need you right now,” said the boater.

The U.S. Coast Guard joined MDFR in the search for the boaters.

One of the boaters used his cellphone not just to call for help, but to help crews spot them. Crews located the pair about a mile and a half southeast of Haulover Park in Northeast Miami-Dade, just before temperatures would dip with the setting sun.

One crew member snapped a quick selfie on the boat after getting the boaters on board.

Rescue crews brought the boaters back to dry land safely. Both men were deemed to be OK.

At a Northwest Miami-Dade intersection early Sunday morning, a ring of fire ignited between Northwest 17th Avenue and 95th Street as two cars and a motorcycle performed dangerous stunts around the flames.

A hooded figure could be seen sitting on the edge of the passenger side window of the BMW as the driver did “donuts.”

At one point, cars collided on the intersection. After someone poured gasoline to create a ring of flames, fireworks were detonated.

The scene cleared when police arrived.

Another similar takeover occurred in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Crowds caused bursts of trouble between Southwest 40th Street and 67th Avenue.

It’s a dangerous trend that 7 Investigates has covered.

This past summer, there was a beating in South Beach and a shooting in Northwest Miami-Dade connected to the reckless rides.

Driver George Baraque said he was trapped in a tunnel on U.S. 1 near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after he left work, at around 1 a.m., back in July.

Baraque and others called 911 for what they could hear but couldn’t see.

“You’ve got racers doing ‘donuts’ in the road underneath the main airport runway,” said a caller.

In a statement issued on Sunday, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade Police wrote, “These unlawful acts hinder county services and pose a danger to the residents of Miami-Dade County. Our Homeland Security Bureau detectives are investigating the incident to identify the individuals responsible.”

If you have any information on either of this weekend’s incidents, 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.

The class at the Building Brains Academy in St. Cloud was learning about the legacy of Rosa Parks, but the parents of a young girl said the school used an offensive way to teach this lesson.

The pictures shared in a school parent group — and shared by the NAACP — showed a 2-year-old girl with her hands behind her back and hand-printed by another student while learning about Parks.

A spokesperson for the preschool said this a spontaneous activity, but the girl’s family said everything about the reenactment is inappropriate.

“Her hands [were] restrained behind her back as if she was being taken into custody, and then the next image was her hands being placed on a table as of she was being booked,” said Bri, the child’s mother. “The look on her face alone, it was horrific.”

The girl was representing Parks in the class reenactment was Black, and the boy wearing a reflective vest representing police was white.

The reenactment was held Dec. 1st, the same day in 1955 that Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama.

That incident sparked a year-long bus boycott.

The NAACP is demanding an investigation into the reenactment. The civil rights organization sent letters to the Florida Department of Children and Families and the preschool about the incident they called “racist.”

Back in May, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for the state of Florida, saying Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policy changes in public education erase Black history.

A spokesperson for Building Brains Academy released a statement to 7News on Wednesday saying the school repeatedly apologized to the family.

The statement reads in part, “Unfortunately, photographs shared of the activity do not offer a complete or accurate representation of the full lesson about the importance of equal rights, nor do they make it clear that at no time were restraints of any kind used on any student.”

The statement goes on to read, “We deeply regret the assumption that our teachers, our leadership or our administration would in any way choose to make a child feel uncomfortable or negatively singled out.”

The parents of the child said that lesson changed their little girl.

“As we were approaching the school where the incident happened, she got very quiet and very, very reserved,” said the child’s father, “but in time we passed it. We had our daughter back, and she was bubbly.”

The spokesperson for the preschool said a new policy will require teachers to get approval from the administration for any change to the approved curriculum, and they will continue to celebrate equality and diversity.

The child’s parents have pulled her from the program.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at the scene, late Tuesday afternoon.

“Air rescue being requested on path two, it’s going to be in reference to a vessel taking on water,” said a dispatcher over Broadcastify police scanner. “88th and Collins Avenue.”

The U.S. Coast Guard also joined MDFR during the search for the boaters.

7Skyforce hovered over the scene, where the boaters were placed on a fire rescue boat.

According to fire rescue, City of Miami Beach Fire Rescue originally received the call of the boaters stranded and referred the incident to MDFR.

One of the boaters was on the phone while he was in the water.

“They advise that the vessel is completely submerged, there’s two patients in the water. Ask if they have flares with them before they went down, anything that can give us a visual,” the dispatcher said.

The boaters were in the water for almost an hour. They were transported to a marina by rescue crews.

A tow boat arrived at the scene to remove the vessel.

What caused their boat to sink is under investigation.

Sunrise Police described Sunday night incident’s at the mall, located in Sunrise, as a “smash and grab” that started a panic due to the sound of glass breaking.

Officials said the reported theft happened at the Rebag store inside the mall. The suspects reportedly used an unknown device to break a display case, generating a load noise.

A 7News viewer at the shopping center said they heard people yelling about a shooter but did not hear shots fired. Cellphone video footage captured the scene as people ran in a panic.

On Monday, a worker at the mall spoke to 7News about what he saw.

“It’s just a bunch of screaming, people running, big commotion and everyone was really scare,” Mike Weinberg said.

Weinberg works at the mall and stopped by to make sure everyone was OK.

“Everyone shaken up but everyone’s alright,” he said.

Weinberg said that working in retail is challenging and he always has to be on the lookout.

“Definitely, definitely, got to keep your head on a swivel, make sure you know what’s going on and be careful,” he said.

Authorities said no arrests have been made. Additionally, no gunfire was reported and no one was injured during the incident.

While most middle school-aged teenagers were working on homework or maybe participating on sports or clubs after classes, Pembroke Pines Police said Wednesday, Joshua Munoz shot a clerk at the Pasadena Drive Thru Food Store, located in the area of University Drive and Pasadena Boulevard.

“We’ve been here for like five, six years now, and I live in this community, and we were not expecting this,” said John Oonnoonny, the food store’s owner.

According to detectives, the victim in Tuesday afternoon’s incident was at the cash register and tried to escape.

Police said Munoz followed the victim and fired his weapon, hitting the clerk several times.

Oonnoonny said the clerk, who is a member of his church, called him first to tell him what had happened.

“He called at 5:40 to say that he got shot, that he’s running to an apartment there, that he has two bullets,” said Oonnoonny. “I said to call 911.”

Paramedics transported the victim to an area hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, police tracked down and identified the suspected shooter.

Munoz has been charged with attempted homicide, possession of a firearm by a juvenile and armed robbery. In addition, he had an active felony warrant for armed robbery, so that charge was applied as well.

“It is believed that we have taken a violent and dangerous criminal off the streets,” said Pembroke Police Capt. Adam Feiner.

Munoz is expected to face a judge on Thursday.

As for the victim, who only works at the food store a few hours a week as a favor to the owner, he is expected to be OK.

The shooting occurred in the area of Northwest Fifth Avenue and South Biscayne River Drive, just before midnight on Tuesday, when police received reports of a drive-by shooting.

Multiple people inside a car opened fire on the residence, resulting in the woman being shot in the foot.

“We just so happen to hear a banging noise,” recalled Dominic Dardis. “We didn’t think anything of it. Then it starts going off continuously.”

People inside the home, who were reportedly renting through Airbnb, shared that the shooting seemed random. They said they were livestreaming on social media when the shots rang out.

“Yo, you, yo, yo, what is going on?” one of the renters is heard saying.

One of them, Chupapi Munanyo, spoke with 7News on Wednesday.

“All you hear from the livestream is gunshots, ‘boom, boom,’ but you also hear a girl’s voice, ‘ahhh,'” he said.

Outside the rental, a woman was shot in the foot.

Those inside the home then called 911.

“Full panic mood. We’re just trying to protect ourselves the best way we could,” said Munanyo.

The victim was transported to Jackson North Medical Center, where she currently remains in stable condition.

Officers then began the hunt for the alleged shooter and a motive.

A young woman told 7News that the shooting was like a scene out of a movie.

“It’s scary that someone would come and do that,” she said. “I didn’t even know who they were. We were banging on the bathroom window.”

The residents inside the home are now wondering if the shooting had any connection to their livestream.

“It could be a couple of things, we’re not fully sure,” Dardis said. “We don’t even know the person who did it.”

“We want to find them though because they’re still out there, you know?” Munanyo said.

Wednesday night, the gate to the rental home remained shut tight.

Despite an ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made.

If you have any information on this shooting, 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.

It was more than a little breezy on Hollywood Beach on Tuesday night there’s a slight chill in the air, but the forecast has some South Floridians’ minds frozen on images they just can’t shake from April 13 and Nov. 16.

A 7News viewer shared images from Fort Lauderdale’s Edgewood neighborhood just north of Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.

“I try to get it in between the door and close it,” said Terry Large, who has lived there since 2013 and had to learn the hard way how to prepare. “We certainly don’t want to have damage to the house again because we just got through this we had the house redone essentially we had it down to the studs.”

Water has fallen faster than many homes and businesses could manage. Windy and rainy conditions are back in the forecast with four to eight inches of rain possible from Broward, Miami-Dade to Monroe Counties through the end of the week.

The City of Hollywood set up “tiger dams” on the Broardwalk; They stretch about a half-mile near the Johnson Street Bandshell.

The temporary dams are a way to prevent sand from being washed onto the Broadwalk with rough surf and higher-than-normal high tides.

Trevor Austin, a chef at Rocco’s Pizza said he’s happy to see the city preparing.

“We had tons of sand, water everywhere, it was kind of crazy,” said Austin. “We’ve got five days of rain coming til Sunday, I think it’s a good idea they did it.”

With all that potential precipitation on the way, it’s clear why some people are feeling a sense of dreadful deja vu.

“It really impacts you,” said Large. “People don’t realize how much a flood impacts you, psychologically and financially, the stress is just unbelievable when it’s happening to you.”

This is the third time heavy rainfall has been predicted to land in South Florida in the last seven months.

Billie Richert sad she had just finished ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign at at a Publix location in Riverview when the a man approached her and demanded her car keys, Monday afternoon.

“You think you’re going to have time to react, and you really don’t. It happens so quickly,” she said.

Surveillance video released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows the suspect, Robert Moore, sitting on the curb as Richert walked by him.

When Moore demanded her keys, Richert said, she refused.

“I’m not going to let him steal my joy. Not at all,” she said.

Richert said she told the assailant to get away, warning she would use pepper spray.

It was at that moment that Moore threw her to the ground.

“I could have broken a bone. I could have cracked my skull. He could have stabbed me,” said Richert.

In the packed parking lot, a customer heard Richert’s scream, kicked off his flip-flops and ran over to help.

“You know, I’m blessed, and then I had a friend that I didn’t even know that caught him and detained him, and that was my angel. It really was,” said Richert.

The good Samaritan served more than a decade in the U.S. Army and asked not to show his face. He suffered two broken fingers, and he said another young man also helped him pin the suspect down until deputies arrived.

“It wasn’t a thought. It was a reaction, it was a reflex, and it’s something that I think that every man should have when he sees something like that,” said the good Samaritan.

Richert praised the two men who helped her, and she warns everyone to be more aware of their surroundings.

“They were terrific, you know, in this day and age, for somebody to get involved in something that they know nothing about and to help somebody, especially an elderly person, it was fantastic, it really was. Thank you,” she said.

Deputies arrested Moore. The 42-year-old faces several charges, including robbery by sudden snatching and battery for a victim over 65 years old.

An installation on display at Art Basel this weekend served as inspiration for another type of message.

In front of a globe — a representation of the world — inside the Miami Beach Convention Center, organizers on Sunday staged what they called a pro-Israel flash mob.

“Each individual bought a ticket, just like any other participant in Art Basel,” said organizer Karin Lang, “so they were observing the art, they were participating in the exhibition, and so, it wasn’t a group entrance and a group effort that came in to storm Art Basel.”

The bloody terror attacks of Oct. 7 keep having an impact around the globe. For many, the fact that Hamas terrorists ambushed hundreds of people attending a concert was especially heartbreaking.

“They took out a horrific attack on a music festival that was a festival for peace,” said Lang.

The message of support was spelled out on T-shirts on the lawn outside the Fillmore theater. Pictured on the shirts are a blood red audio wavelength that flatlines.

“‘When the Music Stopped’ is the name that we chose to capture the image of music kind of just abruptly ending, the festival abruptly ending,” said Lang.

Another motivating factor for this group was to show support for the Israel Defense Forces, as well as continuing to focus on the hostages being held in Gaza for more than nine weeks.

“We still have over 138 hostages still in Gaza, and we are trying to raise awareness and to push the entire world to get them out of there,” said flash mob organizer Tomer Peretz.

Peretz, an Israeli artist, created a live art installation in Los Angeles in November to spread the message there.

The incident unfolded as the woman, behind the wheel of a yellow Jeep, veered off course, crashing into a fence before slamming into the residence.

Witnesses described the moment as a blur of bright lime green, accompanied by a thunderous crash that resonated like an explosion.

“I was sitting in the living room, I seen a bright, green blur go by my window and heard the crash, sounded like a bomb went off,” said one witness.

The Jeep reportedly lodged itself into a backyard apartment.

“When we arrived on-scene, the Jeep was fully into the back portion of the home,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Garett Pingol. “The woman was trapped inside of her vehicle. Crews were able to get in quickly.”

Despite being momentarily trapped, the driver was successfully extracted from the car and transported to Broward Hospital. The extent of her injuries remains unknown at this time.

Witnesses recounted additional damage several houses away, where the Jeep was reportedly parked before the crash. The vehicle left a trail of destruction, hitting a fence, a car, a mailbox, and ultimately colliding with the house.

“The car was there, and we were working inside, and we heard some noise,” mentioned another witness. “She came straight and hit the fence, and after that, she hit a car. She went all the way down there, she hit the mailbox, went straight, then all the way to the house.”

Officials have been contacted to establish whether the house is unsafe to live in.

No injuries inside the residence have been reported at this time.

The owner of the house, which is also an Airbnb, told 7News that on Sunday, eight to 10 people checked out the residence.

“Imagine if it was rented, somebody in the bedroom or the pool,” the owner said.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing as police work to determine the sequence of events leading to the crash.

A similar incident happened in Tamarac where a surveillance camera caught another dangerous drive

It happened at Milano’s Bakery on the 7000 block of North University Drive, where a blue pickup truck hit the building and ended up in a storage room.

A man who works at a business next door describes the chaos.

“I thought it was a bomb or something, you know,” said Ecclesiastes Theophiv who works nearby. “It was that loud.”

Initially, there was a fear of a chemical leak, but a hazardous materials crew gave the all-clear.

The driver in that case managed to get out on her own and was checked out at a hospital but is expected to recover.

The American Heart Association partnered with volunteers for the annual charity walk-a-thon in Coconut Grove on Saturday morning.

Heart disease and stroke survivors participated to bring awareness to the importance of the heart.

“In 2019, I suffered a stress-induced heart attack at the age of 36, a very scary event, but stress can kill you,” said heart attack survivor Eli Ferradas. “So I’m here today to raise awareness for heart disease and to meet fellow survivors. It does not discriminate and so we want people to be aware, to be educated, to understand the signs and the symptoms of cardiac disease.”

Over $500,00 was raised as part of the heart disease survivors walking across the finish line.

WSVN anchor Ethan Calloway also took part in the special fundraising walk.

Ferradas said walks like these bring people together and heart attacks like hers can be a challenging thing to get through.

“Heart attacks can happen to anybody at any time, you never know. It was really challenging and a difficult thing to go through. But the healing process, I went to cardiac rehab, and you know I’m happy I have a second chance at life.”

The American Heart Association says cardiovascular disease occurs every 39 seconds and is the number one killer of people in the U.S.

Heart walks happen across the country, as over a million people have participated over the years.

Executive director Marisol Garcia said the money raised goes to research, educating, and helping people learn how to do CPR.

“Eighty-four cents of every dollar we raise goes back to medical research, medical advances, teaching our community the life-saving skill of CPR, going directly back into our community to address nutrition security, patient care, hypertension, so it really goes back into our community,” said Garcia. “So we’re very proud of the work we’re doing, there’s a lot more to be done, so that’s why we really count on our community to step up and support us.”

For those unable to attend but would like to support, click here.

During a recent court hearing on Tuesday, emotions ran high as Rosa’s father waved and blew a kiss to his son, while Rosa’s grandmother shed tears.

The teenager stands accused of murdering his mother in her Hialeah apartment on Oct. 12.

Allegedly, Rosa stabbed his mother while she slept next to his newborn half-sister before calling 911 to confess to the crime.

In October, the family pled not guilty on Derek’s behalf, with his father, Jose, advocating for a second chance.

“I guess what we’re asking for is another opportunity – a second chance – to help him grow and become mature as a grown man to put this behind him, and say ‘we have your back,'” said Jose Rosa.

The question of where Derek Rosa should be held has been a subject of legal contention. The judge, who has twice delayed a decision, emphasized the need to determine the suitability of the adult facility for the juvenile.

At Tuesday’s hearing, the judge stated, “What I need to hear is what’s going on in the adult facility. Is it suitable for this particular juvenile?”

Another hearing is scheduled for Friday to decide whether Rosa should be transferred back to juvenile corrections. His murder trial is anticipated to begin in February or March.

Since the cease-fire, no American hostages have been released. The Biden administration said that the U.S. will keep fighting to bring them home.

A Red Cross convoy from Gaza made it to Egypt’s Rafah crossing before heading back to Israel on Saturday.

Thirteen Israelis and four Thai nationals were released from Hamas captivity.

Thomas Hand thought his daughter Emily was killed during the Oct. 7 attacks after spending the night at a friend’s house.

“They said, ‘We found Emily, she’s dead,’ and I went, ‘Yes’ and smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew,” said Hand.

After spending her ninth birthday in captivity, the Irish-Israeli girl is alive and back in Israel as one of the 17 hostages released on day two of a hostage-prisoner swap.

It accompanies a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas.

A reported 340 aid trucks arrived at the Rafah crossing, but an Egyptian official said the aid hasn’t made it to Gaza yet.

The future for Hand and other families is one of mixed emotions.

“The unknown is awful. The waiting is awful, but that’s what we got to do now. Just pray and hope she comes back in some broken state, but we can fix her,” said Hand.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank, there was jubilation for the 39 Palestinians who had been imprisoned or detained in Israel. Twenty-four were held without knowing the charges against them and without an ongoing legal process in what’s called an “administrative detention.”

Fifteen people were serving sentences for attacks on Israelis.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN they had all been convicted of terrorism charges.

“Involved in terrorist activities one way or the other,” she said.

Biden and the White House continually worked on the latest release, which was nearly derailed on Saturday.

“This is really probably part of Hamas’ strategy. They are a cruel terrorist organization that never misses an opportunity to inflict emotional pain,” said a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces.

No Americans have been released yet. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about it.

“So we’re gonna continue to be diligent and vigilant in doing all that we can in that regard to ensure that there is humanitarian aid going in, that hostages are going out, and our highest priority, of course, are the American citizens who are being held,” said Harris.

Israel said it has the list of Gaza hostages to be released on Sunday. The agreement calls for Hamas to release a totoal of 50 Israeli hostages for them to release 150 Palestinian detainees and prisoners.

Miami Fire Rescue responded to the blaze, located at an apartment complex north of Flagler Street and 21st Avenue Tuesday night, which originated on the second floor, leaving a charred mess behind.

Rawad Kemeh was in town from Philadelphia to visit a friend at the apartment directly across from the one that caught on fire.

“We heard the smoke detector, you know, the alarm’s going off and then we opened the door, all you can see is the smoke,” Kemeh said.

Through the smoke, they were able to get everyone safely out. From elderly residents to children and pets.

“I was scared if anybody was there, any kids, any pets. There’s a lot of cats in the building,” he said. We got all the cats out.”

Officials said that fire started in a kitchen.

“As we made our way inside, we found that there was a kitchen that was on fire,” said Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll.

Their preliminary findings were that the fire was likely accidentally.

Fire rescue are now giving out a warning.

“Now this incident that happened in the kitchen could have probably been prevented, but we want people to be mindful of the activities that take place in the kitchen.”

Two units were damaged, displacing a total of 10 people, including 5 children.

No injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross is helping two families.

The incident occurred just after 10:30 a.m., Monday, in the area of NW 152nd Street and 22nd Avenue.

Officials tell 7News the officer was discharged Monday evening.

According to police, the incident occurred after an altercation between two men escalated, resulting in the officer being grazed in the cheek by a bullet after it bounced of his bullet-proof vest.

7Skyforce hovered over the scene where heavy police presence was visible as well as a large perimeter set up in the vicinity. A red pickup truck could also be seen at the scene of the shooting. It is unclear if the truck was being driven by the officer or suspects involved.

The suspects fled the scene at the time of the incident.

During a news conference on Monday afternoon, Stephanie Daniels, Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed that five people had been detained.

A spokesperson told 7News that Monday afternoon that the tactical portion of their investigation has ended.

SWAT members could be seen going door-to-door searching for the suspects.

According to a witness, he first heard a single gunshot followed by multiple gunshots in quick succession.

Another witness also heard gunshots.

“I was racking my yard and I just heard something like a firework, and I look up and I didn’t see anything and I keep doing my racking, and the next thing I know, I heard the police, said Adriana Holt, a witness.

The gun used by suspects was marked on the ground by a yellow evidence marker.

The injured officer was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Daniels said the officer is expected to recover and be home in time to be with his family for Thanksgiving.

Director Daniels advised people to avoid the area of NW 154th Street and 19th Avenue due to the ongoing investigation.

As of 4 p.m., SWAT teams remained at the scene.

7Skforce hovered over the scene where an officer threw a flash-bang into a home. A search warrant was executed for the home.

Crime scene personnel remained at several intersections as they continue to investigate. One vehicle with bullet holes had cones on top of it because it was either shot at or was involved in the case.

Back at the hospital, 7News cameras captured several officers at the scene to offer support for the injured officer.

“We’re just grateful he was wearing his vest and it helped protect his life,” Daniels said.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was also at the hospital

“We know that our officers put themselves in the line of fire on our behalf each and every day, so we stand with them and we pray for them,” she said.

Director Daniels said that no matter their rank in law enforcement, any day a person hears about someone being shot in the line of duty is a difficult one.

“It doesn’t matter what capacity that I’m in, you never want to hear a call that one of your colleagues, whether you work with them directly or indirectly or for even another agency, to be called and said they were involved in a shooting,” she said.

The officer has been on the force for seven years and is expected to make a full recovery.

As of Tuesday morning, at least one arrest has been made. Police have not provided any more details.

According to City of Miami Police, the driver of the bus took a break in the area of Southwest First Avenue and First Street, near the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, at around 9:45 p.m., Friday.

Investigators said the subject got into the vehicle and drove off.

Police said the bus was abandoned on an Interstate 95 off-ramp located across from the Whole Foods near Southeast Third Avenue and Third Street.

At around 11 p.m., 7News cameras captured the bus in the blocking one eastbound lane of traffic, causing some congestion in the heart of the downtown area.

Detectives said officers searched for the subject inside of the Whole Foods but did not locate the individual.

Officers, county officials and transit experts were seen in a grassy area near the roadway, as they try to determine how to remove the bus.

Cameras also showed the bus driver speaking with a police officer.

Police have not provided further details about the theft, as they continue to investigate.