JSO releases photo of gun, IDs Broward County man shot by officer following attempted Orange Park arrest
A man who was connected to a Broward County murder investigation was shot in Jacksonville by police Friday evening after they attempted to apprehend him, according to the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office.
2 more large Florida school districts defy state over mask mandate
Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties have become the third and fourth school districts in Florida to adopt stricter mask mandates, a day after school boards in Broward and Alachua counties faced threats of severe penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantisโ administration, which says parents should decide whether their children wear masks.
Florida deputy is 7th in agency to die of coronavirus
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ A Broward County sheriffโs deputy has become the seventh person in the agency to die of complications from the coronavirus. The Sheriffโs Office said on its Facebook page that 48-year-old Sgt. Shane Owens died on Saturday. He had been hospitalized and on a ventilator prior to his death, the sheriff's office said. Shane Owens would be in it.โ
Data: Floridaโs texting-while-driving law rarely enforced
That roadside encounter, in November, was the exception rather than the rule when it comes to enforcing a new Florida law against texting and driving. AdBut the new law against texting is rarely enforced, according to official state figures. The report also contained at least one major error โ discovered after the fact by a news reporter โ that overcounted texting tickets by hundreds. AdIn areas where law enforcement agencies submitted data, the numbers also showed that police arenโt aggressively enforcing the anti-texting law. AdThose provisions make the texting law difficult to enforce, said Kinsey, the Alachua County sheriffโs sergeant.
Florida governor walks back claim over 1 millionth shot
โAn American hero,โ the governor proclaimed Friday, would be the 1 millionth senior in his state to get a lifesaving shot in the arm. State officials acknowledged that it could take a few more days to reach the milestone. DeSantis' own health department reported that, as of Thursday, fewer than 840,000 seniors had received the shot. State officials had no immediate comment on any of those assertions. On Friday, health officials reported 277 new deaths, matching the Aug. 11 record for the highest single-day toll since the pandemic began.
COVID-19 hospitalizations top 6,000 in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ With steady increases in recent months, more than 6,000 people were hospitalized Monday in Florida with โprimaryโ diagnoses of COVID-19, according to information posted on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website. As of a midday count, 6,081 people were hospitalized, including 1,018 in Miami-Dade County. By comparison, 2,081 people were hospitalized with primary diagnoses of COVID-19 on Oct. 1; 2,371 were hospitalized on Nov. 1; 4,282 were hospitalized on Dec. 1; and 5,514 were hospitalized on Dec. 21, according to information The News Service of Florida has compiled from the agencyโs website. The increases in hospitalizations have come as Florida has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases. As of Sunday, the state reported 1,271,979 cases since the pandemic started, according to the Florida Department of Health website.
South Florida counties implement temporary holiday curfews
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ Some South Florida counties have put into place a short-term curfew over the holidays in an effort to discourage the spread of the new coronavirus. โChristmas and New Yearโs holidays are known for large gatherings," Broward Mayor Steve Geller told mayors during a conference call Tuesday. โWe are expecting a spike in cases here.โThe temporary curfew, from Christmas to Jan. 4, is meant to stop people from moving around and gathering for parties. Midnight mass and travel to and from work are exempt, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Ron DeSantis' order removing restrictions on bars and restaurants, and they are โspeculative and arbitrary,โ wrote U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal.
COVID-19 hospitalizations top 5,000 in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ The number of people hospitalized in Florida with โprimaryโ diagnoses of COVID-19 topped 5,000 on Tuesday, as case numbers and deaths continued to climb. As of early Tuesday evening, 5,103 people were hospitalized with primary diagnoses of COVID-19, up from 4,931 during a Monday count, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration website. Miami-Dade County had the largest number of people hospitalized Tuesday with 932. It was followed by Broward County, with 514; Hillsborough County, with 300; Duval County, with 286; Palm Beach County, with 283; Pinellas County, with 241; Orange County, with 234; Polk County, with 155; Pasco County, with 136; Escambia County, with 126; Sarasota County, with 125; Lee County, with 124; Osceola County, with 119; Lake County, with 114; Volusia County, with 110; and Collier County, with 109.
Amber Alert canceled after 2-year-old Broward County girl found safe, authorities say
Because the child is no longer missing, News4Jax has removed the names and photos from this article. An Amber Alert issued Sunday morning for a 2-year-old Broward County girl was canceled in the afternoon after she was found safe, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE issued the Amber Alert shortly after 10 a.m. for the girl, who authorities said had last been seen around 2 a.m. in Wilton Manors, Florida. According to Wilton Manors police, the mother does not have custody of the child. Just before 3 p.m., FDLE announced the Amber Alert had been resolved and the child is safe.
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to mount in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ With thousands of additional COVID-19 cases being reported every day, the number of people hospitalized with the disease continues to mount. As of early Monday evening, 3,243 people in Florida were hospitalized with โprimaryโ diagnoses of COVID-19, up from 3,118 on Sunday afternoon, according to Florida Agency for Health Care Administration numbers. The increase came as Florida reported an additional 4,663 cases on Monday, bringing the overall total to 889,864 since the pandemic started, the state Department of Health reported on its website. Also, 17,559 Florida residents and 216 non-residents had died of COVID-19. Miami-Dade County had the most COVID-19 hospitalizations on Monday, with 465.
Final weeks of historic hurricane season bring new storms
Tropical Storm Eta is parked off the western coast of Cuba, dumping rain. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Theta โ which formed overnight and broke a record as the 29th named Atlantic storm of the season โ is chugging east toward Europe on the cusp of hurricane status. The system now has a 70% chance of becoming the 30th named storm. Never before have three named storms been twirling at the same time this late in the year, Klotzbach said. The overall message is that everyone in the area should pay attention to Eta, Brennan said.
COVID-19 hospitalizations top 2,900 in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ The number of people hospitalized with โprimaryโ diagnoses of COVID-19 has substantially increased during the past two weeks, topping 2,900 on Monday, according to numbers posted on the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration website. The total of 2,902 hospitalizations late Monday afternoon was up from 2,777 on Sunday. It also was up from 2,474 a week earlier and 2,252 two weeks earlier, numbers compiled daily by The News Service of Florida show. The increase in hospitalizations has come as the state has seen thousands of new COVID-19 cases each day. Miami-Dade County had the most people hospitalized late Monday afternoon at 402.
Eta soaks South Florida, weakens as it moves away from Keys
Tropical Storm Eta caused severe flooding in South Florida in areas already saturated from previous downpours. The system made landfall in the Florida Keys and posed a serious threat across South Florida, which was already drenched from more than 14 inches of rain last month. The Hurricane Warning for the Florida Keys and Florida Bay have been replaced with a Tropical Storm Warning. The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning for the Florida west coast from Englewood to Anna Maria Island. On the forecast track, the center of Eta will gradually pull away from the Florida Keys and south Florida today and be over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico tonight through Wednesday.
Man mauled by leopard behind Davie home; animalโs owner charged
A man who paid $150 for a โfull-contact experienceโ with a black leopard says he had to undergo multiple surgeries after he was mauled by the fully-grown animal in an enclosure behind a Davie home. The man who lives there, identified as Michael Poggi, has a Facebook page saying he runs an animal sanctuary for rare and endangered animals. Authorities say Poggi was charged with allowing full contact with an extremely dangerous animal and was cited for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe condition. Investigators say Poggi charged the 50-year-old Turner $150 for a โfull-contact experienceโ with his black leopard โ to โplay with it, rub its belly and take pictures.โFWCโs report says that once Turner walked inside the enclosure, the leopard attacked. They say Poggi admitted to them, though, that what he did was illegal.
Florida officials stop scheme to register dead voters as Democrats
Officials in Broward County, a Democratic stronghold and Florida's second most populous county, uncovered the scheme over the summer. Broward County supervisor of elections officials flagged the registrations as suspicious and turned them over to the Broward state attorney's office. โWe cannot comment on an ongoing, active criminal investigation,โ state attorneyโs office spokeswoman Paula McMahon told The Associated Press in an email. Thirty of the 51 were verified by the state attorney's office as being deceased. Elections officials said the applications were left blank in spaces for driver license and Social Security numbers.
Jamaicans in Florida energized by Harris on 2020 ticket
Florida has more than 974,000 people of West Indian ancestry โ a Caribbean category that excludes Hispanic nationalities such as Cuban. A conservative estimate for the number of Jamaican voters in Florida stands at 91,000, because many may not report Jamaica as their country of origin. Haitian voters are estimated at about 115,000. Shawn Myers, a voter in Broward County who is Jamaican American, said he would vote for Biden and Harris, just to unseat Trump. Omphroy said she identifies with Harris as a first-generation daughter of immigrants, and she also thinks the candidate is easy to like.
Miami-Dade, Broward counties to move into next phase of reopening
Ron DeSantis on Friday announced that two large South Florida counties will move into the next phase of reopening. DeSantis said Miami-Dade County and Broward County will move into Phase 2 of reopening starting Monday. This is really, really important. โWith a transition of our county to Phase 2 effective Monday, that lifts a huge roadblock that has prevented us from taking additional steps,โ Carvalho said. Over 236,000 total people in Miami-Dade and Broward conties have reported positive coronavirus tests over the last six months, according to state data.
Man dies after jumping out of Lyft on I-95
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. โ A 48-year-old man jumped out of a car window and died after being struck by another car traveling on Interstate 95 in South Florida, authorities said. The man climbed out of the window of a Lyft traveling south on I-95, just south of Hallandale Beach Blvd., the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was hit and killed at about 8:15 p.m on Sunday. The man was hit by a sedan whose driver did not stop, according to the agency. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
2 killed when plane crashes into public storage building
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. Two people were killed when a small plane crashed Friday into a Florida public storage building, officials said. The twin-engine Aero Commander crashed around 9 a.m. in Pembroke Park, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said in an email. Rescue workers from Broward County and the city of Hollywood responded, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office news release. Two people were located in the wreckage and pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. Preliminary information shows the plane left Pompano Beach and was heading south to Opa Locka, the sheriff's office said.
Statewide grand jury wants more time to investigate school safety issues
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A statewide grand jury impaneled after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County is seeking more time to finish its work. The office of Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas Cox filed a petition Thursday at the Florida Supreme Court asking for a six-month extension of the term of the grand jury. Ron DeSantis asked the Supreme Court to impanel the grand jury to investigate school-safety issues, a request that was granted by the court. The statewide grand jury began meeting in June 2019 for what was expected to be a 12-month period. The statewide grand jury has diligently investigated the issues identified by this honorable courts order (impaneling the grand jury), several of which have required evidence from every county in the state, Thursdays petition for more time said.
Police: Men broke into home while wearing GPS ankle monitors
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. โ A group of men already on pretrial release for previous offenses are behind a string of burglaries carried them out while wearing ankle monitors that track their locations, police said. They are accused of being part of a criminal organization committing burglaries, armed burglaries, fraud, gun thefts and other criminal acts throughout South Florida, Hollywood police said Tuesday. Hall, Williams and Hill each face charges of burglary, grand theft and racketeering. Hall is facing 35 counts, and Williams and Hill are facing 25 and 19 counts respectively. Hollywood and Margate police, the Broward Sheriffโs Office and the Florida Attorney Generalโs Office are conducting a joint investigation.
Sheriff claims victory over predecessor fired after Parkland
Ron DeSantis fired his predecessor Scott Israel over his handling of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 dead. The Broward County sheriff runs a 6,000-employee operation with a half-billion dollar budget, one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the southeast. Israel won election twice before he was removed by DeSantis after the Parkland school shooting. Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said in a statement that Tony deserved to be elected. "Sheriff Tony came into office under circumstances that many questioned, Holness said.
Florida sheriff race hinges on massacre, old shooting
FILE- In this Oct. 21, 2019 file photo, former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel appears before the Senate Rules Committee concerning his dismissal by Gov. Ron DeSantis, in Tallahassee, Fla. Israel is running against Sheriff Gregory Tony in the upcoming Florida primary. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon, File)
Small plane makes emergency landing on Florida highway
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. โ The pilot of a small plane made an emergency landing on a South Florida highway Friday night. The 29-year-old pilot had a mechanical issue with his Piper PA28-140 that affected the flow of fuel and wasn't able to return to the plane to its home base safely, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He landed the aircraft on the Sawgrass Expressway in Broward County just after 10:30 p.m. The plane didn't strike any cars and the pilot wasn't injured, the department said. The plane blocked two lanes of traffic until it could be moved to the median shoulder.
Carefree Florida summers a thing of past; 5K die from virus
There are 49 hospitals in Florida with 0% ICU beds available, according to Floridaโs Agency for Health Care Administration website as of 3 p.m. EST Sunday. The state Department of Health on Sunday reported 12,478 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 87 more deaths. Florida recently closed bars again because customers werenโt wearing masks or practicing social distancing. And I think everyone has shared blame in that,โ he told CBS4โs Facing South Florida this weekend. โI feel angry that DeSantis only cares about Trump and is willfully ignorant when it comes to the virus,โ she said.
Elections officials face dynamic and changing situation
Collectively, Floridas 67 county supervisors of elections have decades of experience responding to disasters. But the coronavirus pandemic presents a calamity of a different kind, posing an unknown threat thats forcing elections officials to plan for a continuum of possibilities. Elections officials had what Earley called a dry run during the presidential primary elections as the novel coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease known as COVID-19, quickly spread through the state in March. Theyre buying no-contact thermometers to check poll workers temperatures. Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer will rely on face shields and Plexiglas barriers to separate poll workers and voters.
Helicopter pilot survives crash in Florida park
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. Authorities say a helicopter pilot transporting building materials survived a crash near a Florida park. Police in Coconut Creek said the helicopter went down Thursday afternoon in a wooded area adjacent to Tradewinds Park, in Broward County. Scotty Leamon, spokesman for the Coconut Creek Police Department, said the pilot's injuries were not life-threatening. Authorities say the pilot was airlifted from the crash site by another helicopter with a rescue basket and taken to a local hospital. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash.
Florida shatters one-day coronavirus case record with 5,500
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Floridians traveling to the New York City area will be required to quarantine as Florida's new confirmed coronavirus cases skyrocketed by 5,500 Wednesday, a 25% jump from the previous one-day record set last week and triple the level of just two weeks ago. Other local governments now requiring masks in public spaces include Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orange County, Palm Beach County and the Florida Keys. Two weeks ago, Floridas one-day record for confirmed coronavirus cases was 1,601, set in mid-May. The state now has more than 109,000 confirmed cases since March 1. In South Florida, local and health officials are worried about rising hospitalizations and new infections in under-served, primarily Hispanic communities.
Brevard County FOP head resigns over post on accused officers
VIERA, Fla. โ The president of a Fraternal Order of Police chapter along Floridaโs Space Coast has resigned after being told he would be fired following an internal investigation over a social media post that encouraged officers linked to departments accused of using excessive force during recent protests to apply for jobs in Florida. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Friday that Lt. Bert Gamin was no longer with the agency. The message posted last weekend on the Brevard FOP Facebook page said, โHey Buffalo 57 ... and Atlanta 6 ... we are hiring in Florida. The four fired officers and two others face criminal charges stemming from the incident. In Buffalo, New York, dozens of police officers stepped down from the departmentโs crowd control unit last week, objecting to the suspensions of two fellow officers in the shoving of a 75-year-old protester who fell and injured his head.
Statewide grand jury investigating Parkland shooting to get more time
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A statewide grand jury that has investigated the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County will get more time to conduct its work after a suspension of activities because of the coronavirus. The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday issued an order that said additional days equal to the number of days for which proceedings are suspended shall be restored to the term of the statewide grand jury.Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas Cox, who is the legal adviser to the grand jury, filed an emergency petition this month at the Supreme Court seeking clarification about the panels term. The petition said the term was scheduled to end June 5, but Cox sought clarification that the time frame would be extended because of the coronavirus-caused suspension of proceedings. Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady has issued a series of orders designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The orders address various aspects of the court system, with jury trials and grand jury proceedings currently suspended through July 2.
NFL cornerbacks Baker, Dunbar released from jail on bond
Baker is charged with four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. He turned himself in at the Broward County Jail. (Broward County Sheriff's Office via AP)FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. NFL cornerbacks DeAndre Baker and Quinton Dunbar were released from Broward County Jail on Sunday, a day after surrendering on felony charges stemming from a cookout at a Miramar home. Baker and Dunbar were attending the cookout Wednesday night when a fight broke out, and Baker pulled out a handgun, the warrant said. Baker, Dunbar and two other men began robbing people of thousands of dollars, watches and other valuables, witnesses told investigators.
Florida sheriff defends keeping childhood shooting secret
Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony told reporters over the weekend that he didn't see the need to disclose the 1993 killing to Gov. The former Coral Springs sergeant had quit that department in 2016 to operate a consulting firm that specialized in active shooter training. The Coral Springs employment questionnaire asked several times if he had ever been arrested, charged with a crime or received a notice to appear. "Thereโs nothing that I had ever done that was a crime,โ Tony told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Bell told the Herald that Tony should have disclosed the shooting to Coral Springs and DeSantis.
Sheriffโs office torn by school massacre now split by virus
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ The Florida sheriff's office ripped apart by the 2018 Parkland high school massacre is now facing an angry, public fracture sparked by the coronavirus death of one of its deputies. โTony has been politically fiddling with facts like Nero as Rome burned,โ wrote Bell, the leader of the 1,400-member Broward Sheriffโs Office Deputies Association. Several deputies, including school resource officer Scot Peterson, failed to charge into the building to confront the shooter. Both Tony and Israel are former Republicans, but the county is heavily Democratic and they changed parties before taking office. Before the current rift over protective equipment, Tony clashed with the union after he suspended and fired some deputies accused of excessive force.
Zero to 149 in 2 weeks: Florida coronavirus cases soar
By Friday, three more cases were identified in the state, including the first two in Broward County. Seven days in, Florida had 16 cases of COVID-19, including five Floridians who were diagnosed outside the state. The next day, Florida announced 17 more cases, including one in Clay County. Fourteen days after that first announcement from the governorโs office, there are at least 149 people in the state diagnosed with COVID-19. As of this writing -- understanding this will be obsolete within hours -- nearly half the stateโs cases are concentrated in South Florida -- 36 in Broward County alone.
3rd coronavirus case triggers advisory for Florida port
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. โ With three coronavirus cases linked to a Port Everglades company, Florida health officials are asking anyone whoโs experiencing symptoms after traveling through the port to stay home for 14 days. That advisory was issued on Tuesday after the Florida Department of Health announced a 69-year-old woman has tested positive for coronavirus, making her the fourth Broward County case and the third among employees of Metro Cruise Services, which provides ground services at the port. According to the state health department, officials are working to identify individuals who came into contact with the infected patients while passing through Port Everglades. Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 who recently traveled through Port Everglades should self-isolate until healthy and contact their healthcare provider prior to seeking care. On Saturday, the State Department issued an advisory warning Americans about cruise travel after crew members and passengers on recent voyages were exposed to the virus.
Florida woman shocked to find snake inside her car while driving
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. โ A woman in Broward County received quite the surprise while driving early Friday evening. According to police, the woman was driving on Hiatus Road in Pembroke Pines when she noticed a snake was inside her car. Pembroke Pines Police Officer Patrick Pagliai turned on the carโs heater in order to coax the snake out of the vehicleโs air vents. The intruder, a harmless rat snake, was caught by Officer Pagliai. Authorities say anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation can call their non-emergency line at 954-764-HELP (4357).
Special session begins on suspended Broward County sheriff
Suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel faced a legislative showdown Monday in the fight to get his job back, amid procedural wrangling that began before senators even began considering his... Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Nursing home employees charged in patient deaths after Hurricane Irma
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Four employees of a Broward County nursing home where 12 people died in sweltering heat after a hurricane cut power were charged Monday, at least three of them with aggravated manslaughter, their attorneys said. Nursing home patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, ranging in age from 57 to 99, began dying three days after Hurricane Irma swept through in September 2017. Former Rehabilitation Center nurse Sergo Colin and administrator Jorge Carballo were each charged with 12 counts of aggravated manslaughter, according to jail records. Nurse Althia Meggie was charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter and two counts of tampering with evidence. Memorial spokeswoman Kerting Baldwin said she couldn't confirm that the hospital sent patients to the nursing home.
Mom, daughter killed in Florida shooting that injured cop
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. - Friends say a mother and her 20-year-old daughter were killed in a violent domestic shooting in Broward County. Coconut Creek Police have charged Jason Roseman with two counts of murder in the deaths of Hannah Bonta and her mother Jan Kirkland. He is also charged with two counts of premeditated murder after authorities say he shot Bonta's boyfriend Saturday and a police officer who responded to the scene. Jacqueline Fantozzie, who told WPLG-TV that she as Kirkland's best friend, said the last time she communicated with her, Kirkland told her she and Roseman had gotten into a nasty argument. "They were wonderful people," Fantozzie said of Kirkland and Bontain tears Sunday.
Missing child alert canceled for 4-year-old Broward County boy
Missing Child Alert for Tanner Swears,4, out of Broward County. COCONUT CREEK, Fla. - A Florida missing child alert has been canceled for a 4-year-old who was reported missing Saturday night n Coconut Creek, FloridaInvestigators would not say where the child was found. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
State panel scrutinizes school safety
Right now, you will lose your license if you have an armed guardian, Book said in a text message. Upon hearing her suggestion, he asked whether it could be considered an expansion of the guardian program. Books plan would tweak the state law that governs voluntary pre-kindergarten education program, and would require action by the Legislature. One of the policy proposals recommended by the panel which made it into state law is an expansion of the guardian program, which allows school personnel to be trained and armed in schools. A statewide survey conducted by the Florida Department of Education showed that more school districts have opted into the school guardian program since June.
24 children have died this year from being left in a hot car
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Two dozen children have died from being left in a hot car this year, according to the Kids and Cars organization. Every nine days, a child left in a hot car dies from vehicular heatstroke, according to Consumer Reports. While July and August are typically the deadliest months, a child left in a car can die when the temperature is mild. This is unsafe for children and small babies because their body temperature rises three to five times faster than adults and they are unable to efficiently regulate their body temperature, Consumer Reports car seat expert Emily Thoma explained. All Consumer Reports material Copyright 2019 Consumer Reports, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Florida community picking up pieces after explosion in Plantation
Close to two dozen people were hurt during a large explosion at a South Florida shopping plaza Saturday. The blast destroyed part of a shopping center in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale in Broward County. Authorities are not entirely sure what caused the blast, but emergency responders found an active gas leak when they arrived. There were large pieces of concrete hurled up to 50 yards away and sent pieces of metal scattering as far as 100 yards across the street, which resulted in 21 people being taken to hospitals. "A search has been completed of the building itself," said Joel Gordon, battalion chief of the Plantation Fire Department.