It’s Tuesday, April 13th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - Authorities are investigating an armed carjacking and shooting in North Lauderdale that left a man begging for his life in surveillance footage.
The incident happened just after 3 a.m. on April 7th in the 6500 block of Southwest 19th Street. Broward Sheriff's Office officials said the surveillance video showed the moments after the victim had been shot. The victim is seen lying on the ground in front of a car as he's approached by an armed man. "Don't kill me, please, don't kill me," the victim can be heard pleading in the footage, released by the BSO on Monday. Detectives are searching for the gunman and two other suspects believed to have been involved in the crime. They believe the second car involved was a Toyota Camry. Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
No. 2 - After being in a coma for a little over two weeks, a South Florida pastor is awake after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bicycle in Miami Beach.
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Pastor Noe Aguilar was riding his bicycle on the MacArthur Causeway near Terminal Isle in March when he was struck by a black car that fled the scene, police said. Weeks later, Aguilar was FaceTiming with his family from the hospital. But he has a long recovery ahead. Investigators say Katherine Colabella was behind the wheel that night. After the crash, she drove to a Miami Beach condo, where the valets found her car with heavy front-end damage, a police report said. To see the video of Aguilar’s first moments after waking up, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Alyssa Hyman.
No. 3 - The U.S. government will immediately stop using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at federal vaccination sites while experts review multiple adverse reactions to the shot.
Six women between the ages of 18 and 48 developed a rare blood clotting disorder and one died, the New York Times reported. The decision will only affect federally run sites, but states are expected to follow suit. The FDA also warned doctors that the particular reaction observed so far is treated differently than other types of blood clots, and that they should prepare accordingly. The decision follows a move by multiple European countries to limit the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because of concerns about blood clotting reactions to that drug as well.
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No. 4 - Police clashed with protesters for a second night in the Minneapolis suburb where an officer who authorities say apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun, fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop.
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting death Sunday of 20-year-old Daunte Wright as “an accidental discharge.” The shooting sparked protests and unrest in an area already on edge because of the trial of the first of four police officers charged in George Floyd’s death. Law enforcement agencies had stepped up their presence across the Minneapolis area after Sunday night violence. The number of Minnesota National Guard troops was expected to more than double to over 1,000 by Monday night. Authorities earlier Monday released body camera footage that showed the officer shouting at Wright as police tried to arrest him.
No. 5 – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried visited Hialeah Monday to try and fuel up support for legislation that amps up gas pump security and targets skimmers.
Since January, 251 skimmers have been uncovered at gas pumps across the state. Nearly half of those were in South Florida, totaling millions of dollars of fraud. Fried said a million dollars were lost in fraud in 2018 and that gas pump skimmers are part of the big problem. Skimmers are doubling every single year. To hear what Fried said the legislation would do, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Jamie Guirola.
No. 6 - It’s no surprise that the pandemic has hit the hospitality and restaurant industry hard, but as business bounces back, some South Florida restaurants say they’re having trouble hiring staff.
Tim Petrillo, CEO of The Restaurant People in Fort Lauderdale, said his restaurants are seeing more customers which is bringing in much needed revenue. However, getting the hospitality workers to meet that demand has been a struggle. Petrillo said a combination of factors, including people leaving the industry and government assistance, could be to blame. To hear how some businesses are working to get those workers back, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Amanda Plasencia.
