A Southwest Ranches man received a criminal citation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after his pet lynx escaped for the second time in just three months, officials said.

The 70-pound male Siberian lynx, Sasha, was reported missing Sept. 19 and was found two days later in a neighbor's yard.

FWC officials said it was the second time that Sasha has escaped from his enclosure within a three-month period.

Sasha first escaped on June 18 and his owner, Perry Burk, was issued a warning.

FWC investigators said Burk was instructed to add a locking mechanism to the lynx's room door to prevent future escapes.

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Broward County sheriff's detectives are investigating the death of a woman who was found unresponsive Tuesday night inside her Oakland Park home.

BSO spokeswoman Gina Carter said deputies arrived at the woman's home at 3920 NW Third Ave. about 8:15 p.m. The woman, identified as Charlotte Nicholas, 64, was pronounced dead minutes later.

Carter said detectives are investigating the death as a homicide. A neighbor told Local 10 News that she found Nicholas' body and called 911.

"I went in and said, 'Charlotte, Charlotte,' and I didn't hear anything, and I walked toward her kitchen because she was doing some dishes there earlier and her body was there on the kitchen floor," Debra Kincy said.

Kincy said she is frightened because a man was stabbed earlier this week in the same neighborhood.

The Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of Nicholas' death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Bryan Tutler at 954-321-4281 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. A reward of up to $3,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

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An online petition is calling for the termination of a Florida City police officer who shot and killed a dog Tuesday morning after it ran out the front door of a home when the officer knocked on the door.

The dog's owner, Gillian Palacios, told Local 10 News that the officer knocked on her door at 832 SW Seventh St. to inform her that she had left her car door open.

She said her 2-year-old, 40-pound bulldog-mix Duchess ran outside and was shot three times in the head by the officer.

Palacios said the officer told her, "Your dog charged me," and then left, telling her that Animal Services would be by to pick up the dog.

RAW FOOTAGE DISCLAIMER: Video contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing.

Animal advocates and the Palacios family were outraged by the shooting, claiming the officer had no reason to shoot the dog.

"She was curious. She wasn't barking (and) she wasn't growling," Palacios said. "There was no reason for him to think she was aggressive in any way."

The Palacios family fosters and rescues dogs in the area and said it was barbaric how the officer killed their rescue dog.

"There were a million things he could have done other than shoot her three times in the head," Palacios said.

Florida City police spokesman Officer Ken Armenteros confirmed that one of the department's officers shot a dog Tuesday morning, and said the police department is "gathering all the facts at this time."

"We don't have the luxury of hind sight," Armenteros said. "We have to use the information that is given to us in a split second. So, the officer has to make that decision with the information that he has available."

According to the creators of the "Puppycide" documentary, a dog is shot by law enforcement officers every 98 minutes.

"When we first learned about puppycide, we assumed that these must be cases of police responding to threats on their lives from dogs trained to attack by criminal owners. That couldn't be further from the truth," filmmakers Patrick Reasonover and Michael "Oz" Ozias wrote on their Kickstarter page. "We found scores of videos and news stories about dogs who were laying down, tails wagging, even running away but still shot by officers who used lethal force as their first and only response."

The filmmakers said their documentary also explores the police perspective of dog-involved shootings.

"While some incidents involve callous officers too quick with the trigger, we found the issue is much bigger than that," the filmmakers said. "The lack of repercussions, policy changes, new equipment, or apologies, demonstrate how systemic this problem is. Experts have explained in interviews how police officers are not currently offered the simple training, tools, and support they need to change."

The identity of the officer involved in the Florida City case has not been released.

As of Wednesday morning, the petition calling on the department to fire the officer had more than 10,000 signatures.

Click here if you wish to sign the petition or visit YouSign Animals' Facebook page.

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Part of A1A was shut down in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday morning after a water main break was reported in the area.

A1A is shut down in both directions between Sunrise Boulevard and 15th Street. The water main break was reported between 11th and 12th streets.

The incident caused a headache for not only drivers, but residents at the Park Tower Condominiums who don't have water.

"Anytime you don't have water, it's a big inconvenience," one resident said.

Drivers in the area are asked to avoid the area. It's unclear how long the road will be closed for.

Officials said the broken line ruptured about 6:30 a.m. So far, the only residents affected on the busy strip of the beach are those at Park Tower.

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A former Borward County School Board candidate was out on bond Wednesday, after he turned himself in on four counts of grand theft. He was accused of misappropriating client's funds.

Coconut Creek lawyer Nicholas Steffens, a Democratic political activist who represented famed New York crime boss John Cotti's accountant during a divorce, was out on a $200,000 bond.

During a Florida Bar's investigation into Steffens' financial dealings, Florida Bar auditor Carl Totaro said he produced fraudulent account statements to hide that he had used the money to cover insurance premiums, restaurant bills, store purchases and rent.

Steffans was first accused of misappropriating about $190,000 that belonged to Adjustafax Investigations and Avelo Mortgage in a 2012 foreclosure case on a property in Broward. This came to the surface when Bin Song Li purchased the property.

Steffens used other clients' funds to pay Avelo Mortgage March 3rd, according to Totaro.

TROUBLED DEALINGS

In an unrelated case, Steffens accused Cotti's godson Lewis Kasman, whom he represented in a divorce, of stealing a check and cashing it. Kasman told Gossip Extra's Jose Lambiet earlier this year that he had been helping him out "with all kinds of bills." The lawyer denied having borrowed money from Kasman.

In 2012, he was one of five candidates vying for the Broward County School Board's district four seat, which covered areas of Margate, Coral Springs, Tamarac and Parkland. He ran despite a 2011 suspension.

Steffens was admitted to the Florida Bar April 21, 2005 and has been reprimanded several times. In 2013,  he was accused of not complying with a 2011 suspension order to return about $5,000 in fees to a client that he failed to properly represent in a mortgage audit.

Steffens also refused to respond to several Florida Bar inquiries, records show. The Florida Bar filed a petition for emergency suspension Sept. 16 and the Supreme Court of Florida approved it Sept. 18. 

Steffens did not respond to a request for comment.

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Authorities are searching for a man who robbed a bank Wednesday in Miramar.

The robbery was reported just before 11:30 a.m. at a SunTrust Bank branch on Miramar Parkway, just east of Interstate 75.

A sign on the bank's door informed customers that the bank was closed due to an emergency.

Police also roped off the parking lot as authorities completed their investigation.

The case has since been turned over to the FBI. Agents said an undisclosed amount of money was taken in the robbery.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 754-703-2000.

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An 11-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday after he brought a toy gun to school, Miami police said.

The arrest came after two boys who attend Edison Park Elementary School got into a fight Tuesday off school grounds.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego said the parent of a child who witnessed the fight told school officials Wednesday morning that one of the boys struck the other child with a gun.

Gonzalez-Diego said Miami-Dade schools police responded to a classroom and found a toy gun in the student's backpack.

The issue was handed over to Miami police because the fight happened off school grounds.

It's unclear whether the boy will face disciplinary action at the school for bringing the toy gun on campus.

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A man was arrested Wednesday after shaking his genitals at passing cars in Sugarloaf Key, Monroe County sheriff's deputies said.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Becky Herrin said deputies received numerous calls from drivers saying a man was exposing his genitals to them.

A responding deputy said he found Marino Sanchez, 61, at the 17-mile marker. Deputy Donald Stullken said Sanchez appeared drunk and smelled of alcohol.

Several witnesses identified Sanchez, who works as a fisherman in Marathon, as the man who exposed himself in public.

Herrin said drivers claimed Sanchez was "mooning" traffic, and was grabbing his genitals and shaking them at passing cars.

He was arrested on a charge of indecent exposure.

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The public got the first look at plans for the new Miami Beach Convention Center Thursday, which were unveiled at a special ceremony.

A new Goodyear blimp made its debut Thursday in Pompano Beach.

Local 10 News reporter MJ Acosta was on the tarmac of the Goodyear Airship Base to get an up-close look at Wingfoot One, the newest model, which arrived in South Florida last week.

Residents might have seen the blimp over Sun Life Stadium, Marlins Park and the American Airlines Arena, providing aerials for major sporting events.

Goodyear is in its 90th year of operating, and pilots say the airships have evolved significantly over the years.

"It is very similar to a balloon," pilot Derek Reed said of the older models. "There is not as much pressure as a balloon would have, but it is still just inflated with that helium and a little bit of air that's inside the airship. So that's what the older ships were like."

"This new airship is a little different. The new airship has a triangular structure, and that triangular structure is basically carbon fiber and aluminum, and that's what allows our airship to take off vertically, as well as keep our engines in the air."

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Broward County sheriff's detectives are investigating after numerous cars were broken into Thursday morning at an Oakland Park apartment complex.

The incident comes days after dozens of vehicles were burglarized at two other Oakland Park communities.

In Thursday's case, BSO spokeswoman Gina Carter said at least 24 cars were broken into sometime before 6 a.m. at The Lakes apartment complex in the 2800 block of North Oakland Forrest Drive.

She said the cars that were burglarized were parked in the north and south side of the complex.

Detectives are interviewing residents and reviewing evidence in the case.

Anyone with information about the break-ins is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 945-493-TIPS.

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A man was fatally shot after he got into an argument with another man at a bus stop Thursday morning in Plantation.

Detective Philip Toman said two men riding a Broward County bus got off at a nearby stop and got into an argument. The confrontation escalated when one of the men pulled out a gun and shot the other multiple times.

The victim, who police said was in his late 20s, was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

"I think you should put metal detectors on buses, therefore you won't have people armed going on the bus with weapons," Michael Lee, who lives in the area, said. "I'm just afraid for the children, because we have a lot of children in the community."

Local 10 News reporter Sanela Sabovic said police had sealed off the area as they searched a neighborhood and nearby businesses.

The fatal shooting closed the northbound lanes of State Road 7 between Northwest Seventh and Eighth streets. State Road 7 reopened shortly after 10 a.m.

The shooter got away, and a description of him was not readily available.

Investigators are asking anyone who was on Broward County Bus No. 503 route 18 from the Golden Glades at 6:10 a.m., or anyone who witnessed the shooting to call Plantation police at 954-797-2100 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

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A 17-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday after he posted a threatening photo on Instagram against the North Lauderdale Police Department, authorities said.

Jacob Santiago made his first court appearance Thursday morning on charges of intimidation by writing or sending a threat to kill or injure.

According to police, Santiago was questioned at his home by a police officer in connection with a crime about which they believe he had information.

According to an arrest report, Santiago posted a picture of himself with a gun on Instagram, accompanied by a threatening caption against police in general and specifically a North Lauderdale police officer who has arrested several members of the Broadview Boys street gang. The caption was followed by emoji signs of praying hands, a pig face, a pig nose and two handguns.

Police said Santiago is a known-member of the gang and was previously arrested by the same officer on March 17 on charges of burglary, grand theft and resisting arrest.

According to the report, the officer arrested Santiago's brother on Aug. 26 for similar charges. Santiago was arrested the same day on charges of assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

Santiago's mother told police that she didn't know where her son got a gun from and didn't know that he had posted the threatening picture.

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Police are searching for a man who was reported missing from Osceola County and whose SUV was found Thursday in Southwest Ranches.

Charles Joseph Miller, 73, was reported missing Wednesday night by a neighbor.

Police said Miller was last seen Tuesday night driving to Florida Hospital after his wife had been admitted for a medical procedure. Miller's wife told detectives that her husband never showed up to the hospital. She said he is very forgetful and is possibly in the early stages of dementia.

A friend of the family said Miller had recently seemed depressed because of the loss of a family friend.

Police said Miller does not have any personal items, including his cellphone, with him.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Osceola County Sheriff's Office at 407-348-2222.

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Fort Lauderdale police responded to Stranahan High School Thursday afternoon after a fight between two girls escalated.

Video posted on social media shows two girls fighting while a group of their peers surrounds them. Another video shows a boy being pulled away.

A Broward County School Board representative said the fight happened as the school was let out for early release. Other students were also reportedly fighting, but school officials said it primarily involved the two girls.

Police said they questioned students, but no arrests were made and no injuries were reported.

The school will decide how the involved students will be disciplined.

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A man from Hialeah Gardens was arrested Thursday on multiple fraud charges after he placed credit card skimmers on numerous gas pumps throughout southwest Miami-Dade County, police said.

According to an arrest report, detectives discovered that Anthony Nunovero, 28, installed a skimmer device at a Shell gas station and had 10 counterfeit credit cards embossed in his name and re-encoded with stolen account numbers.

Detectives followed Nunovero on Wednesday and said he drove through the county, visiting different gas stations and commercial printing stores. Police said Nunovero removed the tamper-proof labels used by the gas stations to prevent the installation of credit card skimmers, and would go to printing stores to order duplicates with the intent of bypassing the security seals.

Detectives searched Nunovero's home later in the day and found the following items:

-Twenty-six counterfeit credit cards

-MSR machine (used to illegally re-encode stolen credit card numbers on counterfeit credit cards)

-Soldering gun

-Handheld skimmers and skimming software

-Multiple gas station keys used to open the pumps

-Various tools and connector pins used to modify skimmers and install them in gas pumps

-Used gas pump security seals

-Laptop with skimmer software installed

Detectives said they found evidence of 14 skimmers at Nunovero's home, but only one was recovered. They said the other 13 are likely still at unknown gas stations.

Authorities said Nunovero claimed he did not understand the detectives' questions when he was asked about the skimmers.

Each skimmer can hold up to 2,000 stolen account numbers.

To protect yourself, officials advise paying cash inside the store, check to make sure the gas pump dispenser is closed and use a pump closest to the store as thieves generally target pumps farther away.

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The attorney for the family of a black church drummer killed by a police officer while waiting for a tow truck along a South Florida highway said there are many unanswered questions about what led to his death.

Corey Jones was on his way home from a performance Saturday night when the 31-year-old's car broke down near the Interstate 95 exit ramp to PGA Boulevard.

Palm Beach Gardens police Officer Nouman Raja had been investigating burglaries in the area when he stopped to check out what he thought was an abandoned vehicle.

Police have only said Raja was "suddenly confronted by an armed subject" and fatally shot Jones. The officer was not in uniform and was in an unmarked patrol car.

It's unclear whether Jones knew Raja was an officer.

Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Stephen Stepp said a gun that Jones had purchased legally was found outside the car.

Prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is representing Jones' family. Crump said he met Thursday morning with Palm Beach County state attorney Dave Aronberg and learned some answers.

"There's so many unanswered questions," Crump said.

Crump said it "boggles the mind of what happened here."

The Tallahassee attorney said the officer had no badge and fired six shots, striking Jones three times. Crump said Jones never fired his gun and was running away when he was shot.

"By all accounts, Corey Jones was an incredible human being," Crump said.

Crump was joined at Thursday's news conference by Jones' father, mother and siblings.

"I need to know why. Why is my son gone today? Why?" Corey Jones' father, Clinton Jones Sr., said.

Family friends of Corey Jones rally for justice

Clinton Jones Jr., who played for the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, was the last person to talk to his brother before the fatal shooting.

"To see this happen is very tragic, because we know that he would not ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever pull a gun on police," Jones Jr. said.

A peaceful protest organized by the local Urban League was being held outside the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department.

"We're rallying for justice for Corey Jones," best friend Clarence Ellison told the crowd. "We want answers. We want to know who is hiring these cops that don't need to be hired."

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Community shows support for Corey Jones

Broward County sheriff's detectives are searching for a man who raped a 16-year-old girl who was walking to school Monday morning.

The incident was reported about 7 a.m. near the 2800 block of Northwest 14th Street.

Broward Sheriff's Office detectives said the man grabbed the teen by her head and covered her eyes and mouth with his hands. The victim was able to break free, but was caught and dragged away from the street to a nearby grassy area, where she was raped, authorities said.

Detectives said the man ran off after raping her.

The rapist is described as a black man who is in his 30s and has slanted eyes. Detectives said he has "black dirty matted hair with lighter-brown tips," a "disheveled dirty mustache" and a dark beard with lighter-brown tips.  

Deputies will pass out fliers in the area Thursday afternoon in hopes of finding someone who recognizes the man.

Anyone with information about his identity is asked to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. A reward of up to $3,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

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Two men convicted of using money they received from fraudulent tax returns to buy luxury cars were sentenced Thursday in federal court.

Adrian Claude Green Jr., 24, of Miami Gardens, was sentenced to 34 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Aquil Emmons, 25, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.

Both men previously pleaded guilty to charges of using unauthorized access devices to obtain goods worth $1,000 or more and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Emmons and Green used a number of prepaid debit cards, loaded with illicit federal tax refunds and registered in the names of various people, to purchase a 2007 BMW and a 2009 Mercedes-Benz.

The vehicles were purchased at a Broward County dealership on March 17, 2012 and April 12, 2012.

The IRS and Aventura police assisted in the federal investigation.

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A shooting that left one person dead at Tennessee State University started after an apparent dispute over a dice game, Nashville police said.

Two others were injured in the shooting at an outdoor courtyard at the campus in Nashville. They were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, said Kelli Sharpe, a university spokeswoman.

The wounded are students, but their names have not been released pending their families' notification, she said.

The incident occurred during a student gathering in which two men not enrolled at the university may have been gambling, according to Sharpe.

Both men exchanged gunfire, and one was killed, she said.