Local

In a local Walgreens, an armed drugstore robbery led to a shooting of three Miami-Dade officers and left two suspects dead on the scene. A gun fire was reported in a trailer park at 4:30 am, when the accident began.  One suspect turned out to be a 27-year old male, who was identified as Adrienne Montesano, who’s motive was simple: money. When the suspects were closed in by the officers, shots fired in all directions. The first injury was given to the officer, after the suspect aimed the gun to his abdomen.

While the officers were on the crime scene, Montesano stole one of the police officer’s patrol cars in the parking lot  and fled the scene, carrying an officer’s stolen gun with him. The police car was found abandoned in Hialeah, with the suspect no where in sight. The suspect switched into a 2001 blue Volvo, which crashed between a utility pole and a tree. Twenty-two officers surrounded the Volvo before it crashed and shots were exchanged. The injured police officers were taken to North Shore Medical Center, while the two police officers that were shot during the car chase were sent to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

National

In New York, a seven-car Metro-North train derailed from its tracks, resulting in a fatal accident. Four people were killed and an additional 63 received injury. At the time of crash, the train was traveling at a speed of 82 miles per hour under a 30 mile per hour speed limit. The driver, William Rockefeller, applied the brakes of the train a mere five seconds before it derailed. There is a current investigation happening indefinitely under the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Even though an alcohol test on Rockefeller came back negative, his drug test is still awaiting results.

International

Thursday, December 6, Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and an anti-apartheid leader, passed away at the age of 95. He played a crucial role in ending segregation in South Africa and was awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in 1993. Mandela became president of the nation in 1994 after imprisonment which lasted 27 years due to political activities. Previous to his death, Mandela had been hospitalized numerous times and was treated at home for a reoccurring lung infection. After Mandela officially retired as president in 2004, Jacob Zuma was appointed the job. Places all around the world such as the White House in Washington D.C. and 10 Downing Street (the office and residency of the British Prime Minister) in London, raised their flags at half-mast to show respect for Mandela.

Mandela’s memorial service took place at the Johannesburg FNB stadium, and is receiving the title of the biggest funeral in history. The service was four hours long and attended by thousands of people ranging from powerful political figures to normal South African civilians. Guest speakers included Barack Obama and the Cuban president, Raul Castro. The location of the service happened to be the last place that Mandela made a public appearance, during the FIFA World Cup final in 2010.