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Tag: firework

  • Ex-Navy SEAL planned to fire explosives at police at San Diego ‘No Kings’ rally

    A former Navy SEAL with neo-Nazi beliefs faces up to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of transporting fireworks across state lines with the intent to injure law enforcement at a “No Kings” protest in San Diego, authorities said.

    FBI agents found messages on Gregory Vandenberg’s phone indicating he was upset with President Trump because he believed the U.S. government is controlled by Israel and the Jewish people, according to the Department of Justice.

    Vandenberg, 49, was planning on traveling from El Paso to San Diego to unleash harmful fireworks at a June 14 protest, prosecutors said.

    Inside his car agents found T-shirts with a neo-Nazi symbol printed on them, a flag for the militant group the Caucasian Front, an Al Qaeda flag and a Latin message saying “Judea must be destroyed,” among other paraphernalia displaying anti-Israel and extremist beliefs, prosecutors said.

    FBI agents said they found clothing in Gregory Vandenberg’s vehicle with anti-Israel slogans and neo-Nazi symbols.

    (Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico)

    On June 12, Vandenberg stopped at a travel center near Lordsburg, N.M., and purchased six large mortar fireworks as well as 72 M-150 firecrackers, which are designed to sound like gunfire. He repeatedly expressed his desire to use the fireworks to harm law enforcement at upcoming protests in California and urged the store clerk to join him, prosecutors said.

    Vandenberg, who had no stable employment and lived in his car, told the clerk he had significant knowledge of explosives and prior special operations forces experience. He said he was not interested in the color or display of the fireworks, only in their explosive impact and ability to harm others. He even talked about the possibility of increasing their explosive impact by taping fireworks together.

    He wore a T-shirt with the word “Amalek” on the front, which he said he designed specifically to mean “destroyer of Jews.” In the Torah, Amalek refers to descendants of Esau who are known as the Israelites’ sworn enemy. His home screen on his phone displayed a picture of the Taliban flag, prosecutors said.

    A hat with the calligraphy of the Al Qaeda flag was among evidence.

    A hat with the calligraphy of the Al Qaeda flag was among evidence.

    (Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico)

    He declined to provide his ID and then became paranoid, asking whether the store intended to track him and falsely saying that he was not from America, authorities said. Employees, shaken by the encounter, wrote down his license plate and contacted the police.

    Federal agents tracked Vandenberg to Tucson, Ariz., where he was arrested on June 13 while sleeping in his car at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. He told agents he was traveling for work and visiting friends in Phoenix, despite being unemployed, prosecutors said.

    After a five-day jury trial and around three hours of deliberation, a jury convicted him of transportation of explosives with intent to kill, injure or intimidate and attempted transportation of prohibited fireworks into California. He remains in custody awaiting sentencing.

    Acting U.S. Atty. Ryan Ellison said in a statement that the verdict sends a message that attempts to use violence to express one’s political beliefs will be met with federal consequences.

    “People in this country are free to hold their own beliefs and to express them peacefully,” Ellison said. “What they are not free to do is use explosives to threaten or terrorize others. Vandenberg intended to turn explosives into a tool of intimidation.”

    Clara Harter

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  • VIDEO: Cities begin ringing in New Year

    Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain.South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 787-foot Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.Australia plans defiant celebration after country’s worst mass shootingAustralia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand, but in Sydney, the country’s largest city, celebrations will be held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the downtown waterfront on Wednesday to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, in a first for the annual event.An hour before midnight, the massacre victims will be commemorated with one minute of silence while images of a menorah are projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd has been invited to show their solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the harbor.New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued eventsIn Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm and reflective program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling for prayer and reflection instead. “Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.Hong Kong, too, will ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.The city’s tourism board will instead host a music show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight landmarks will turn into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.Berliners celebrate in snowTourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The famous Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.___Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand —

    Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain.

    South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.

    The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 787-foot Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.

    Australia plans defiant celebration after country’s worst mass shooting

    Australia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand, but in Sydney, the country’s largest city, celebrations will be held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.

    A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the downtown waterfront on Wednesday to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, in a first for the annual event.

    An hour before midnight, the massacre victims will be commemorated with one minute of silence while images of a menorah are projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd has been invited to show their solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the harbor.

    New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.

    “We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.

    “We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.

    Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued events

    In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.

    The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm and reflective program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.

    Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling for prayer and reflection instead. “Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.

    Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.

    Hong Kong, too, will ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.

    The city’s tourism board will instead host a music show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight landmarks will turn into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.

    Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.

    In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

    Berliners celebrate in snow

    Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The famous Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.

    ___

    Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

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  • Cars torched, window smashed in pair of South L.A. street takeovers. Neighbors are weary

    Cars torched, window smashed in pair of South L.A. street takeovers. Neighbors are weary

    Two street takeovers in South Los Angeles veered into vandalism early Tuesday morning as the window of a local car dealership was smashed and cars were set on fire.

    The Los Angeles police and fire departments responded a few minutes past midnight to a call of a vehicle on fire and a possible street takeover at the intersection of Normandie and Florence avenues. The vehicle was so charred, it was not driveable and had to be impounded, according to police.

    Margaret Stewart, a public information officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department, said the large crowd and vehicles were packed tightly, and firefighters struggled to reach the flaming vehicle.

    The second call came at 3:23 a.m. from the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street, walking distance from the main USC campus. Los Angeles police officers and firefighters responded to another report of a rowdy takeover, with a second vehicle that had caught fire, this one containing fireworks.

    In video of the street takeover obtained by KABC7, loud popping noises can be heard in the background as crowds run past Felix Chevrolet on Figueroa Street. Glass is scattered on the ground from a shattered window at the car dealership. One individual in a ski mask appears to grab items from a gray sedan that is on fire.

    In each takeover incident, fresh black skid marks on the asphalt traced where drivers had spun “doughnuts” repeatedly in the night.

    According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there were no injuries and no arrests at either incident.

    Residents of South Los Angeles are crying foul.

    “I live in the neighborhood and I can hear it at night,” said Emma, who works at a local business. Emma, who provided only her first name out of fear for her safety, says the noise often wakes her and her neighbors in the middle of the night, with the abrupt explosion of fireworks setting off car alarms. She said these late-night rendezvous have increased to several times a week.

    The Avalon Gardens resident believes the culprits have been emboldened by law enforcement that she says remains lax in spite of neighbors’ numerous complaints to the city.

    “When [police] do arrive, it’s 15 minutes too late,” when the crowds have already dispersed and gone home, she added.

    From 2019 to 2020, the number of street takeovers nearly doubled amid the pandemic. The illegal sideshows have been deadly, as The Times has previously reported. Earlier this year, another street takeover left two sedans burning at the intersection of West 18th and Main streets.

    The L.A. City Council has attempted to curb street racing and takeovers by installing speed bumps at 20 popular meetups to prevent drivers from performing tricks.

    Jireh Deng

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  • Two dead, three injured in Huntington Beach stabbing. One person is in custody

    Two dead, three injured in Huntington Beach stabbing. One person is in custody

    A person is in custody after several people were stabbed Thursday night in Huntington Beach, leaving two dead and three others injured, according to authorities and news reports.

    Police received reports of an assault with a deadly weapon near the intersection of 16th Street and Pecan Avenue around 11:15 p.m., the Huntington Beach Police Department said in a news release. When police arrived at the scene, they found several people with significant injuries.

    Two people died from their injuries and three others were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

    Witnesses told news station KTLA-TV that a group of people were watching fireworks from the street when a man drove up in a car, got out and started stabbing people on the sidewalk. Two bystanders tackled the man and held him until police arrived, witnesses told the news station.

    One person is in custody, according to police, but it’s unclear if they are a suspect. There are no additional details about the victims or the circumstances surrounding the stabbing.

    The incident is under investigation by the major crimes unit. Huntington Beach police said they believe the stabbings were an isolated event.

    Nathan Solis

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  • Photos: Celebrating the Fourth of July in Southern California

    Photos: Celebrating the Fourth of July in Southern California

    There are plenty of places across Southern California to catch Fourth of July fireworks.

    Allen J. Schaben, Wally Skalij

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  • LAPD calls in bomb squad for one of the most massive fireworks busts in state history

    LAPD calls in bomb squad for one of the most massive fireworks busts in state history

    More than 120,000 pounds of fireworks were seized from an illegal operation in the South Bay area of Los Angeles in one of the biggest single fireworks busts in state history, authorities said.

    The fireworks cache was so massive that the Cal Fire bomb unit was called in to assist local police.

    Several people were arrested Saturday during an early morning raid, according to a joint statement by the Gardena Police Department and the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Arson and Bomb Unit. The exact location was not disclosed.

    Some of the fireworks measured up to 8 inches in diameter — roughly the same as a bowling ball. More than 2,000 illegal destructive devices and 10 pounds of bulk homemade explosives were also confiscated.

    No other information about the seizure was made available, given the pending criminal investigation. Anyone who has information about the case is asked to contact Cal Fire bomb unit at arsonbomb@fire.ca.gov.

    Last year, the Los Angeles Police Department seized 38,000 pounds of illegal fireworks from a South Los Angeles warehouse.

    That raid came two years after the LAPD injured 17 people and damaged 35 properties while trying to detonate a stash of fireworks in a South L.A. neighborhood, displacing dozens of residents.

    With the Fourth of July approaching, Cal Fire is reminding the public that it is illegal to sell, transport or use fireworks that don’t carry the “Safe and Sane” seal. Fireworks also can’t be set off in communities that prohibit them. Depending on the offense, violators of fireworks laws could face up to a year in jail and fines of up to $50,000 if convicted.

    Tyrone Beason

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  • Brave Paws Offers Brand New Solution for Stressed-Out Dogs Suffering During Fireworks and Thunderstorms

    Brave Paws Offers Brand New Solution for Stressed-Out Dogs Suffering During Fireworks and Thunderstorms

    Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables for Dogs: plant-based chewable offers calming support for everyday stress and anxiety in dogs, including noise phobia.

    Press Release
    –

    Jun 23, 2022


    GREENSBORO, N.C., June 23, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The team at Brave Paws™ knows that dogs are an important part of the family. Like any other member of the family, our furry friends experience nervousness and anxiety, especially during fireworks or thunderstorms. Since no one likes to see their pets in distress; this can be a stressful time for everyone.

    Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables for Dogs is a clinically studied and patented botanical that may help ease stress and anxiety in dogs. The plant-based chewables are made from a sustainably sourced blend containing naturally occurring compounds, including betulinic acid, which have been found to promote a sense of calm and relaxation in dogs. 

    Many things can cause anxiety in dogs, such as noise phobia, separation from their owner, or even the aging process. Noise phobia is one of the most common types of anxiety in dogs, affecting roughly 45% of canines. Loud random noises, such as thunderstorms and fireworks, can trigger dogs with noise phobia. For dog owners, the 4th of July celebrations come with more than just fun and games. Dogs with a fear of loud noises such as fireworks will spend the festivities in fear, with some in danger of harming themselves trying to escape the noise. 

    “Dogs suffer from anxiety just as much as we do, if not more. Our chewables offer a sustainably sourced, plant-based solution that may help ease anxiety from noise phobia, separation from their owner, and everyday stress,” says Mark Hill, CEO of AABEX Animal Health, the owner of the Brave Paws brand.

    “The active ingredients in Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables for Dogs, Souroubea Spp. and Platanus Spp., are supported by both clinical and safety studies,” says Dr. Shannon Gregoire, veterinarian, media personality, and editor of Pet Candy Magazine. “These chewables may help calm dogs through stressful events like fireworks shows and thunderstorms,” says Gregoire.

    Although both humans and dogs experience anxiety, dogs show it in different ways. These include panting, drooling, pacing, excessive barking, restlessness, and sometimes even aggressive or destructive behavior. Dogs can become anxious during thunderstorms, vet visits, road trips, loud noises, when the dog is separated from their owner, and—of course—during fireworks. That’s where Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables for Dogs comes in. For best results, the appropriate dose should be given to the dog 60 minutes before a stressful event, such as a storm or fireworks show. This product can be used daily, up to three times per day.

    Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables are formulated with a clinically-studied and patented blend. The active ingredients that make up the patented formula include: Souroubea, a genus of flowering plants used in Central American cultures for its calming properties; Platanus, used by Native Americans for its purifying properties; Betulinic acid—a pentacyclic triterpenoid with anxiolytic properties and Alpha- and beta-amyrin—triterpines with anxiolytic, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

    Brave Paws is also environmentally conscious and responsible with its sourcing and are made with plant-based ingredients that are sustainably sourced from the United States, Canada, and Costa Rica. Brave Paws partners with Coopecuna, a woman-led co-op in rural Costa Rica.

    Brave Paws Anxiety and Stress Support Chewables are available in bottles of 30 chewables for $29.99, and 3-packs with 90 chewables for $76.50 (a 15% discount off the list price). To order online, find more information on the brand and its story, or check out the science and behavior tips on their blog, visit www.mybravepaws.com, or on their Facebook or Instagram pages @mybravepaws.

    Press/Media Contact:

    Stacey Bender

    (973) 405-4600

    sbender@bendergrouppr.com

    Source: Brave Paws™

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