News You Should Know

ICYMI: Teen Who Fatally Shot Hollywood Officer Says He Wanted to Kill Himself, Sisters Diagnosed with Breast Cancer After Negative Gene Mutation Test

Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:

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Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:

Teen Held in Hollywood Officer's Death Says He Wanted to Kill Himself

A teenager with a lengthy arrest record said he was trying to kill himself to avoid returning to jail when he fatally shot a 28-year-old Hollywood Police officer, his arrest warrant said.

Hollywood police officers confronted Jason Banegas, 18, on Sunday night after getting a call about a man “going house to house" on a bicycle and trying to break into cars in the Emerald Hills neighborhood, police said.

Officer Yandy Chirino spotted the teen first and tried to arrest him, but Banegas resisted and pulled out a stolen semi-automatic handgun, the arrest warrant said.

Banegas told detectives he was trying to kill himself when he pulled out the gun, “but the officer kept moving around during the struggle” and he pulled the trigger, according to the warrant.

It’s much needed money for people behind on rent, but some rental assistance programs have been slow at getting the money to those who need it. The federal government now wants to know how much money local programs have distributed to those in need. NBC 6's Sasha Jones reports

Federal Government Looks Into Rental Assistance Progress, Reallocation of Funds

It’s much needed money for people behind on rent, but some rental assistance programs have been slow at getting the money to those who need it.

The federal government now wants to know how much money local programs have distributed to those in need. Local governments have been awarded two rounds of federal assistance money. The first round, known as ERA 1, started going out in January.

Programs with excess unobligated ERA-1 funds at the end of September may be asked to give the funds back to the federal government can reallocate those funds.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department required programs to report how much money had been paid out to renters in need or committed to renters who applied. If 65 percent of the first round of funds had not been spent, the money could be reallocated.

One of the reasons city of Miami leaders fired chief of police Art Acevedo was low morale in the department. A factor in that was how Acevedo wanted a coronavirus vaccine mandate. The city manager said he overstepped his authority by doing so. NBC 6's Phil Prazan reports

Former Miami Police Chief Acevedo Defends Vaccine Comments in NBC Interview

In an exclusive interview with NBC Nightly News, former Miami police chief Art Acevedo said he did not regret pushing for a vaccine mandate within the department. 

Acevedo’s stance on vaccines was one of several factors which led to low morale in the department, which eventually led to a vote of “no confidence” from the union and his termination from the city. 

“When you’re seeing more officers die from COVID than gunshots, and you care about your officers, and you care about the public that may be being infected by our officer responding, that’s asymptomatic, and potentially dying,” Acevedo told NBC. “You know, I don’t regret that because I believe as public servants we have a duty to the public.”

Miami city manager Art Noriega said Acevedo overstepped his authority, hinting in a local interview officer’s jobs may be on the line without getting vaccinated. 

In the interview, Acevedo said he’d support going to court against Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration over it, which also irked city manager Noriega because the city manager, city commission, and city attorney are the ones who decide to take a case to court.

Acevedo conceded those remarks added to low morale for officers already dealing with the pandemic, political instability, and anti-police sentiments after deadly shootings of Black Americans. 

Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo proposed a program he'd say would fight homelessness in the city. But advocates say it's insincere. NBC 6's Johnny Archer reports

Advocates Say Miami Commissioner's ‘Adopt-a-Homeless' Proposal Is Insincere

Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo is proposing an idea to have residents voluntarily take in the homeless population off the streets and into their homes to help combat homelessness.

“I would like to create a new program today,” said Carollo at a City of Miami Commission meeting Oct. 14. “For all of you here, I’m sure, are going to jump right out of your seats and stand in line and be the first to help and that's the 'Adopt a Homeless' Program."

But that idea is being rejected by many homeless advocates in Miami.

“I’m sick of this hypocrisy,” screamed Carollo back at an upset crowd at the commission meeting. “They want to do so much."

The commissioner proposed the idea at a commission meeting, and it is expected to be voted on in the next commission meeting Oct. 28.

With a risk of breast cancer in their family, a woman and her sisters made the decision to undergo genetic testing for the gene mutation. They all tested negative. But what happened next caught them all by surprise. NBC 6's Kim Wynne reports

Woman, Sisters Diagnosed With Breast Cancer After Negative Gene Mutation Test

February 14, 2019, was the day Carla Walker found out she had breast cancer.

“Terrified, that’s all I can say. Crying, shaking, nervous, worried. Calling somebody for support to come and just hold me like I was a child,” she said.

Carla did everything by the book. She got yearly mammograms along with MRI screenings every six months. But one of the screenings caught her doctor’s eye. 

“I got a phone telephone call that said that my MRI had something suspicious in it,” she said. “My biopsy was cancerous.”

Her cancer was caught at stage one. It was early enough for the mother of two to get a double mastectomy with no need for chemotherapy or radiation. 

“I am the fourth out of five daughters to have breast cancer,” Carla said. “There was no way I was going to chance this again.”

Three of Carla’s sisters were diagnosed with breast cancer.

“My sister Susan was diagnosed at approximately age 40,” she said. “My sister Debbie was diagnosed at approximately 60. My sister Peggy was diagnosed around 65 and myself at 57.”

This happened despite them getting genetic testing to see if they were high-risk for the disease. They all tested negative. 

Your pets shouldn’t eat candy, might not like their Halloween costumes and might be stressed out by trick-or-treaters. The ASPCA released a list of suggestions for how to make Halloween safer for your pets.

Halloween Events in South Florida for You and Your Pet

With the countdown to Halloween coming to an end, there's still time for tricks and treats with your furry friend! Here are some fun, pet-friendly events happening in South Florida this month.

Click here for a full list of events that you and your furry friend can take part in.

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