The mother of a woman who investigators say was shot to death by a former police officer has a message for the department the suspect once worked for.

“He shouldn’t have been on the force,” said Charlotte Gulla during an interview with NBC10.

Gulla’s daughter Valerie Morrow was shot and killed back on Dec. 15. Stephen Rozniakowski, a former officer with the Colwyn Borough Police Department, was charged in connection to her murder.

The 32-year-old former officer called his police chief and quit his job about three hours before he kicked down the door of Morrow’s Glenolden home, investigators said. Wearing a bulletproof vest, Rozniakowski opened fire, striking Morrow as well as her teen daughter.

Morrow’s husband Thomas Morrow, an off-duty Morton police officer then returned fire, striking Rozniakowski, according to investigators.

After the shooting, Rozniakowski called in the shooting on his police-issued radio, officials said.

“I am the actor,” he allegedly told dispatchers.

Rozniakowski and Morrow’s daughter survived the shooting. Valerie Morrow died from her injuries however.

“Who would believe that?” Gulla asked. “I don’t believe that. But it happened.”

About three hours before the shooting, Norwood Police served the suspect with an emergency court order to stay away from Morrow. At the time they took away his service weapon and asked if he had any other weapons but Rozniakowski told them he didn’t, according to officials.

Rozniakowski had also called the Colwyn Borough Police Department to announce his resignation, investigators said.

He used a private weapon in the attack, said police.

Before she died, Morrow reached out to NBC10’s Harry Hairston because he previously covered past stalking allegations against Rozniakowski.

Morrow told Hairston she dated Rozniakowski for months before ending the relationship in August to reunite with her husband. In the weeks and months that followed, she said Rozniakowski called and texted her repeatedly with threatening messages.

Hairston put a spotlight on Rozniakowski last year when the officer was placed on "administrative leave" after his former fiancee filed a protection from abuse order against him.

Plymouth Township Police had arrested Rozniakowski and charged him with 25 counts of stalking and 50 counts of harassment for allegedly contacting his former fiancee with repeated phone and text messages. He was scheduled to appear in court on those charges prior to the fatal shooting.

Gulla told NBC10 she believes Rozniakowski should never have been on the police force in the first place. She also believes the Colwyn Police Department didn’t do enough to protect her daughter.

“They’re there to serve and protect,” Gulla said. “Uphold the law. Not take the law into their own hands.”

Hairston spoke with Colwyn Police Chief Bryan Hills and asked him if he would have done anything differently in regards to how the department handled Rozniakowski.

“No, I had no say in that outcome,’ Hills replied.

Hairston then asked Hills if Rozniakowski should have underwent psychological treatment.

“I can’t say that,” Hills replied.

The Colwyn Borough revamped their hiring practices in 2014. Rozniakowski was hired by the Colwyn Police Department in 2013 however before the changes were implemented. In a written statement, Borough Manager Paula Brown admitted the borough made poor choices in police hires prior to 2014.

Rozniakowski is charged with first-degree murder, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other offenses in connection to the shooting. He was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Christmas Eve but that hearing was continued.

Meanwhile, Gulla told NBC10 she wants the man accused of killing her daughter to be punished to the fullest extent.

“I want him to be 100,” she said. to suffer from the gunshots he received.”

A woman who allegedly took her grandchildren after losing custody of them was arrested overnight, according to police.

Cinnamon Kelly, 42, is charged with kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child.

Kelly allegedly left with her 2-year-old and 1-year-old grandchildren from Superior Court in the Cape May Courthouse section of Middle Township, New Jersey Monday around 3:30 p.m. after she was denied custody of them. Kelly was also traveling with a 32-year-old man, according to police.

Police issued a warrant for Kelly's arrest. Early Tuesday morning they announced she had been arrested by police in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania and taken into custody. Her two grandchildren were also found safe, according to investigators.

A driverless fire truck slipped on the ice and crashed into a Delaware home as snow fell Tuesday morning.

Firefighters were out of the truck, responding to six-car crash at Oak and Franklin streets in Wilmington around 9 a.m., when suddenly the truck began slipping on the icy road.

"I see the truck and I say, 'Oh my God, it's coming here right now,'" said Edwin Martinez, who was in the home at the time.

None of the firefighters and no one in the home suffered injuries but one person in one of the cars suffered minor injuries. The truck knocked the door of the home off its hinges and left some damage to the corner of the house. The wreck left the windshield of the fire truck cracked.

The home sits at the bottom of a short hill that could have been responsible for the original wrecks.

You love your pets, right? Well then we're pretty sure you want to keep them safe and warm during this blast of bitter cold.

"Dogs and cats, or any pets for that matter, shouldn't be left out for any extended amount of time," says Delaware County SPCA Director Justina Calgiano. "Already this winter, we've had seen animals with frost bite and we've had to amputate ears and tails."

• SEVERE WEATHER CENTRAL

And with temperatures colder than we've seen in 20 years, it's imperative for pet owners to take special care of their furry friends.

Here's some safety tips:

• Stay Inside: Keep your pets inside, except for quick bathroom trips.
• Bundle Up: When they do go outside, put on a coat or sweater.
• Check Paws: Make sure your pet's paws are not frostbitten, cracked or bleeding. Also, do a wipe down of your pet's paws, legs and belly when they come in from outside to make sure to remove salt or anything else that could have been used to treat sidewalks.
• Make Noise: If your hopping in your car, make noise, like honking your horn, so that any animal that was seeking warmth and shelter under your vehicle has time to get out.
• Don't Leave Your Pet in the Car: Let your baby stay home. If heading out is unavoidable, like say heading to the vet, don't run errands after, go right home.
• Avoid Ice: When walking your dog, avoid frozen waterways. You don't know if the ice can hold the weight of your pup!

Calgiano says that if your animal is older, that's even more of a reason to use extra caution.

About one month after being shot outside the South Jersey home where he was being electronically monitored, rapper Beanie Sigel left the hospital.

Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, was released, and returned home, sometime over the weekend, said Pleasantville Police.

The 40-year-old State Property rapper was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the stomach on the morning of Dec. 5 in Pleasantville, Atlantic County, New Jersey.

Police didn't reveal how far along Sigel is in his recovery.

Authorities still have not named suspects in Sigel’s shooting, only a couple of persons of interest including Sigel’s own sister-in-law.

Police said it didn’t appear that Sigel was the intended target of the shooting.

Sigel was released from federal prison in August after serving a two-year sentence for tax evasion, spent time in a Philadelphia halfway house and was serving out his probation on electronic monitoring in the Atlantic County community when he was shot.

Pope Francis likely will be visiting more East Coast cities than just Philadelphia during his planned visit to the United States later this year, according to a top Vatican official.

The Holy See will not only attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia but will also likely visit the United Nations in New York and possibly go to Washington, D.C. as well, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, told the Catholic News Agency.

Parolin stopped short of confirming the NYC and DC visits to CNA.

“I think the Pope will go to United Nations, everybody is speaking about that… but no official announcement has been delivered,” Parolin said.

Over the weekend, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, postponed his visit to Philadelphia, the host city for the large Catholic World Meeting of Families to allow more time for organizers far and wide to get all elements of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in place, said WMOF organizers.

The Philadelphia Archdiocese couldn’t comment on rumors of a broader papal visit. Spokesman Kenneth Gavin said that pontifical travel plans can only be confirmed through the Vatican.

What is clear is that Pope Francis will be in Philadelphia during the World Meeting of Families, which will be held from Sept. 22 to 27.

The Pontiff is expect to attend — holding a public Sunday mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway on Sept. 27. Officials estimate up to 2 million people could come to see the Pope.

Philly’s own Jazmine Sullivan showed she has plenty to offer in her rousing rendition of Whitney Houston’s hit “I Have Nothing.”

The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts graduate caused a buzz with her version of Houston’s hit — Sullivan belts out all the high notes Houston was known for — that she recorded for VIBE V Series.

A YouTube video of the Grammy-nominated singer’s rendition quickly garnered tens of thousands of views and gained the praise of various online music publications — MissInfo.TV noting that “doubting Jazmine Sullivan’s superior singing abilities is just silly.”

Reality Show, the latest album from the 27-year-old songstress, comes out next week on RCA Records.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman plans to run for a county judgeship.

The district attorney told NBC10 Tuesday afternoon she would not be running for reelection shortly after notifying her staff. She will finish out her term as DA.

"I think that it would be an amazing way continue public service and continue in the community that I've been apart of for so long, but to do something different," Vetri Ferman said.

Vetri Ferman was Montgomery County's first female district attorney and has served in the role for two-terms since first being elected in 2007. She began working as a prosecutor for the county in 1993 after earning a law degree at Widener University.

Four Pennsylvanians became millionaires Monday through their winning lottery tickets.

Residents in Allegheny County, Bucks County, Columbia County and York County won the top tier prize of $1 million.

The second-tier prize of $100,000 was awarded to residents in Allegheny County, Carbon County, Erie County and Westmoreland County.

Lottery officials cannot release the names of winners until they claim their prize.

The Millionaire Raffle drawing split more than $5 million between 6,000 people.

Winning ticket numbers can be found on the lottery’s website.
 

Two friends' deaths just days apart have left a small South Jersey community and the teens' high school in mourning as a new year gets underway.

Ado Halkic, a 15-year-old student at Burlington Township High School, was found hanged in his bedroom inside his family's home on Jan. 1, a short time after he asked his dad to order him chicken wings, his father Adam Halkic told NBC10's Cydney Long.

Four days later, his good friend and fellow Burlington Township HS student, Mike Steve, 18, was also found hanged inside his Burlington City home -- a home he and his family had recently moved to, according Halkic.

Despite their age and grade differences -- Halkic was a freshman and Steve a senior -- the two were longtime friends who trained together at the JBM Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Edgewater Park for about eight years, said Halkic.

"It has been shocking news for us that two of our students, one who was 15 and another who was 18, have committed suicide," JBM Gym Director Victor Lopez said in an email to NBC10. "Both of them were a part of our Jiu Jitsu Academy that we treated as extended family..."

The high school released a statement regarding the boys' deaths. Read the full statement here,

"Needless to say, the past few days have been painful for our entire community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been touched by the sudden death of two of our high school students," the school said. "It is in times like these that we need to come together as a community to support each other."

Both the high school and the jiu jitsu academy held events Tuesday night to offer guidance and support on how to cope with losing a child.

What prompted the boys' deaths is unclear at this time. 

SUICIDE PREVENTION: If you know someone who needs help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

TEEN SUICIDE PREVENTION
 

A vehicle slammed into a Center City office building Tuesday night.

The SUV crashed into a building at 2401 Walnut Street. No one was seriously hurt in the crash. Officials have not yet revealed the cause though witnesses told NBC10 black ice may have caused the driver to lose control.

VIDEO CREDIT: The Lakewood Scoop

A child is being treated for serious injuries after he or she was struck by a vehicle while getting off a school bus in Lakewood Township, New Jersey Tuesday.

The 8-year-old child was dropped off at Clifton Avenue and Casey Street around 5:30 p.m. As the child was leaving the bus, he or she was struck by another vehicle.

The child was trapped underneath but rescued by first responders. He or she was taken to the hospital. Officials have not yet revealed the child’s condition but say he or she is being treated for serious injuries.

The striking vehicle remained at the scene. 

Police are investigating whether icy conditions caused the driver to lose control.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.

A man accused of masturbating on a woman's deck and then stealing her dog before he was shot after breaking into a second apartment has been officially charged.

Angel Suarez Medero was arraigned Tuesday on burglary, assault and other related charges. His bail was set at 10% of $250,000.

• Resident Shoots Masturbating Intruder

Medero is accused of climbing onto the balcony of a second-floor apartment in Franklin Commons on the 1000 block of Bobolink Drive in Bensalem, Pennsylvania back on Dec. 28 around 8:40 p.m., police said.

"I was sitting on the couch," said a woman who was inside the apartment at the time. "My dogs started freaking out. They went up to the door and I looked up and I could see from my living room that there was a man on my deck." 

• Police Search for Bandit Who Used Deodorant In-Store

The woman told NBC10 Suarez Medero — who was identified by various reports as a former jockey who rode at nearby Parx — then motioned for her to be quiet as her dogs continued to bark.

"He laid down on the floor, stood back up and then he started masturbating on my deck," she said. "I stood there for like ten seconds and I tried to get them to come with me but they wouldn't. Then I got out of there." 

The woman ran to her neighbor's home as Suarez Medero broke through the sliding-glass door and entered the apartment, said investigators. He then allegedly took one of the woman's dogs and jumped out a second-floor window.

• Dad Cuts Dreadlocks Off Guy Sneaking Around With Daughter

He then broke into another apartment on the first floor and attacked two residents inside, according to investigators.

A struggle ensued and a resident inside the apartment pulled out a gun and opened fire, striking the suspect twice, police said.

Even after being shot, Suarez Medero continued to fight with the resident, said police. Responding police officers were eventually able to subdue him.

Medics rushed Suarez Medero to Aria-Torresdale Hospital where he underwent surgery. No one else inside the apartment complex was seriously injured during the incident, according to officials.

Police said it didn't appear that the man knew the woman whose apartment he broke into and the woman told NBC10 she didn't recognize him. The resident who opened fire on Suarez Medero has not been charged.

• Debate Over Medical Marijuana Resurfaces

The woman also told NBC10 her dog ran away during the ordeal. 

The dog, named Ollie, is a 4-year-old, penny-colored long-haired dachshund and weighs approximately 17 pounds. While Ollie was spotted a few times since his disappearance, the dog is still missing. 

"I'm just scared that he's somewhere hurt," she said. "He didn't have a collar on him because it chokes him when we go out." 

On Tuesday, the woman told NBC10 Clear Channel donated money to put up digital billboards of the dog. The billboards were placed in five different locations on Route 1 and I-95.

If you have any information on Ollie's whereabouts, please call Nicole at 215-900-6665 or Evan at 845-461-9617. You can also visit the Ollie the Missing Dachshund Facebook page. 

A woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Cherry Hill, New Jersey Tuesday morning.

Several vehicles were involved in the accident on the 1700 block of Haddonfield-Berlin Road. One vehicle that was involved, a blue van, struck a guardrail head-on.

A woman was killed in the crash, according to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Officials have not yet revealed whether anyone else was hurt.

It was snowing in the area at the time of the accident though officials have not yet confirmed whether that played a role. They continue to investigate.

The woman has not yet been identified.
 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mistakenly released investigative information regarding a plane crash at Philly International Airport, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

On March 13, 2014, a US Airways flight crashed at Philly International. Initial findings by the NTSB blamed the accident on wind sheer. However, a report released by the FAA in early December states the flight crew did not enter velocity speeds needed for departure. 

The report also states the plane’s captain had underwent a stress test two days before the crash and was given two drugs, the sedative Midazolam and narcotic Fentanyl. Based on how the body processes these drugs, the pilot would not be fit to fly until 60 hours after taking them. He returned 45 hours later and did not inform US Airways about his condition, according to the report.

In a statement released Tuesday, officials said the FAA violated NTSB regulations by mistakenly releasing that information under the Freedom of Information Act.

“The NTSB depends upon full participation and technical assistance by the parties in our accident investigations – in this case, the FAA, the airline, and the pilots’ association -- in order to ensure that our investigations are objective, rigorous, and complete,” an NTSB spokesperson wrote. “Allowing any party to release investigative information without approval may enable that party to influence the public perception of the investigation, and undercut the fairness of the process.”

Any information related to an accident investigation must be coordinated and approved by the NTSB before it’s released, according to the spokesperson. Those restrictions are only lifted after the investigation is over.

“The NTSB has shared its strong concern about this matter with the FAA,” the spokesperson wrote. “As a result, the FAA is reviewing this case to see how the disclosure of information occurred and will review its policies and procedures to ensure that information from accident investigations is properly protected.”

A New York man who claimed he was injured after jumping down the emergency slide of the flight following the crash filed a $10 million lawsuit against US Airways.