Nation
LA airport gunman avoids death penaltyLOS ANGELES — A gunman who stormed a checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport and killed a federal airport screening officer will avoid the death penalty under a plea deal with prosecutors.Paul Cianca shot Transportation Security Administration officer and father of two Gerardo Hernandez 12 times with a rifle and also wounded three others in the 2013 rampage.He faces a mandatory term of life in prison for murder and other penalties, according to the plea agreement filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.Hernandez's wife, Ana Machuca, said prosecutors let her know about the plea deal and she accepted it.“This doesn't change anything,” she said. “My husband's not coming back.”She said she was “definitely on board for the death penalty but that does take forever. It doesn't bring peace, it doesn't bring closure. My husband died and my children lost their father. There isn't anything anyone can do for us.”
Dog falls overboard but finds familyBEULAH, Mich. — A dog swam more than 6 miles and walked a dozen more to find its family after falling overboard into Lake Michigan during the weekend.Edward Casas was boating on the lake Sunday with his wife, Kristin, and the family dog, a 10-month old Belgian Malinois named Rylee. Casas tells ABC News Rylee went overboard while he was in the engine room trying to figure out a mechanical problem with the boat and his wife was steering.Casas says he sent out a mayday call on the radio and was connected to a volunteer group that searches for lost dogs.The next morning someone spotted Rylee going into a nearby campground. Edward Casas says there was a lot of sobbing and hugging when the family was reunited with him.
<b>Dallas police chief retiring in October</b>DALLAS — Dallas police Chief David Brown, whose impassioned response to a sniper attack that killed five officers made him the face of a city reeling from tragedy, is retiring from the department.Brown, who will be 56 this year, issued a statement Thursday saying he will retire Oct. 22 after 33 years with Dallas police and six years as chief. He did not give a reason for his decision to retire, but the mayor and city manager both said at a news conference that he was not being forced out.“I became a Dallas cop in 1983 because of the crack cocaine epidemic's impact on my neighborhood,” Brown said in the statement. “I wanted to be part of the solution. Since that time I have taken great pride in knowing that we have always been part of the solution and helped to make Dallas the world class city it is today.”
