The defense rested late Thursday in the Stephenville, Texas, trial of Eddie Ray Routh for the murders of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield two years ago. Prosecution rebuttal witnesses are scheduled Friday with closing arguments and jury deliberation to follow Monday.

Routh’s attorneys presented two days of defense evidence from Routh’s girlfriend, his family and an expert psychiatrist. They all said Routh suffered from severe mental illness at the time of the murders.

Dr. Mitchell H. Dunn, a forensic psychiatrist at the Terrell State Hospital, said he has been involved with criminal insanity issues for more than 20 years.

Dunn reviewed medical records, police reports, witness interviews, videos and crime scene photos in Routh’s case. He said he interviewed Routh, a former U.S. Marine, for more than six hours in April 2014 at the Erath County Jail, longer than the typical prisoner interview.

Routh’s hospitalizations for mental health issues began in 2011. Dunn said Routh suffered delusions in the weeks before his arrest, including the belief that cannibals were trying to cook and eat him at his job in a cabinet shop. He was released from the Dallas Veterans Affairs Hospital in January 2013, just days before the murders.

“They believed he had psychotic symptoms and mental illness and not one that was going to go away when he was not intoxicated,” Dunn said.

Dunn said Routh suffered from schizophrenia, delusional beliefs and disorganized thinking leading up to the time of the murders.

Kyle planned to take Routh on an outing at the Rough Creek Lodge shooting range to help with what the VA had diagnosed as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

That day, Routh thought the victims were “pig assassins, hybrid pigs sent here to kill people,” Dunn said. “He was acting in self-defense to kill them before they killed him.”

Dunn concluded that Routh suffered from “a severe mental disease or defect and did not know his conduct was wrong” the day of the murders.

Prosecutors blame drug and alcohol abuse and claim Routh did know right from wrong. State rebuttal witnesses will address those claims Friday.

Los Angeles police announced on Thursday the arrest of two alleged serial robbers whose victims include a teenager and an LA Superior Court judge.

Jose Roberto Marroquin Jr., 18, and Alan Arellano, 20, both of Los Angeles, were arrested in connection with at least 10 robberies and attempted robberies in the Mid-Wilshire area since late December 2014.

Police said the two took turns attacking people, and victims included a judge, who did not want to be identified, as well as a 13-year-old boy, whom the suspects allegedly knocked out.

Marroquin is accusing of using an airsoft pistol resembling gun to scare victims, police said.

"The anguish that (the victims) have gone through, the experience will mark their lifetime," LAPD Deputy Chief Beatrice Girmala said. "The sense of justice and closure that we bring here today is something that we want to acknowledge, plus also the courage of each and every victim."

Officers showed photos during a Thursday morning news conference of the replica weapon.

"If you're just the person walking down the street and you see a weapon like that, you don't know the difference," LAPD Capt. Tina Nieto said.

One of the victims fought back as a witness used a cellphone to take picture of the suspects' license plate, which helped lead to their capture, officials said.

What you need to know. A Q&A with NBC4’s Dr. Bruce Hensel about the "superbug" bacteria that led to two deaths and several infections at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center:

Question: How bad is this bug?

Dr. Bruce: CRE is not dangerous at all when it lives in the intestine, its normal habitat. But it can be deadly when it gets into the blood, which may have happened in some cases. Most antibiotics don’t work on it. Reports say it’s getting more common and up to 50 percent of people who get it in their blood may die.

Q: Who is in danger? Will it spread?

Dr. B: It doesn’t spread like the measles a flu or a cold. The only people in danger are people who had this specific procedure with a specific scope, called an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP.

During the procedure, a tube is put down the throat and pushed through the stomach to the intestine. Then a smaller tube comes out and explores the liver, bile ducts and pancreas.

This is only done on people who have problems in that area, and they are the only ones who are vulnerable. It won’t spread through the air from person to person.

Q: How did it get on the scope and why wasn’t it sterilized?

Dr. B: The scope is unique, highly specialized and tiny - the size of spaghetti - and even the maker warns about the difficulty of sterilizing it.

Q: So how can people protect themselves?

Dr. B: If told you need ECRP, ask if its really necessary. Ask how they sterilize their devices, including which scope will be used and how it is sterilized.

Q: Why would this happen at UCLA, which is such a high-level medical center?

Dr. B: That may be exactly the point. UCLA actually has great records in controlling bugs, and remember they found this themselves. But only high-level centers do procedures like this, and those are the places that have the most complications.

But, let’s be clear: it is a very small percentage of patients who have this procedure done and almost all have no problem. These procedures can save lives by finding things nothing else can find, so the risk has to be weighed against the benefit.

Remember, you’re only in danger if you had this particular procedure; not others like an Upper GI or colonoscopy.

An officer-involved shooting occurred in Long Beach Thursday as police investigated an armed robbery, but there were no immediate reports of anyone being struck and no officers were injured, authorities said.

All three robbery suspects were taken into custody, according to Marlene Arrona of the Long Beach Police Department.

Officers responded just before 4 p.m. to the 400 block of Cowles Street to investigate an armed robbery that had just occurred, Arrona said.

"Responding officers encountered the potential suspects and an officer involved shooting occurred," she said.

Two uninjured suspects were taken into custody and a third later was located as well, Arrona said. She did not say if the third suspect had been struck by gunfire.

A new surveillance video of a doggy day care van, that the driver said was hijacked by an armed robber Wednesday, shows the vehicle was not hijacked at all —it was taken while left running and unattended with the doors unlocked.

The search for the dogs began Wednesday afternoon when Joseph Giannini, the owner of Urban Out Sitters, said one of his drivers was ordered out of the silver 2002 Chrysler Town and Country van by two armed men while they prepared to transport the dogs.

The video released by the Chicago Police department Thursday showed two men approach the idle minivan at approximately 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Shortly after they took the vehicle and drove off, a witness tried to intervene, at which time one of the offenders drew a gun and pointed it at him, according to police.

Several dogs were inside the minivan when it was taken.

Chicago police found the missing vehicle Thursday on the 2100 block of South Wabash Street, on Chicago's Near South Side. All of the dogs were found alive inside the vehicle and were being reunited with their owners by midday.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. There are no suspects in custody, according to police.
 

Somerville, Massachusetts, has a new tool in its fight against the risk of snow-covered roof collapses: drones.

The snow-weary city has hired a local aerial photography firm to fly its drones high above the city to shoot video of municipal buildings' roofs, so the city will know which need to be cleared.

Dan Hadley, chief of staff to the mayor's office, explained to NBC News that the drones' footage-gathering missions would "promote public safety."

The company the city has hired, Above Summit, says its drones are operated via transmitter remote and can get within 10 feet of their subject matter. Its smallest drones use GoPro camera rigs for full HD footage, while its largest drones carry cameras that can record professional-quality video.

"This is the easiest, quickest way we could possibly inspect them," Hadley told the Boston Globe of the plan. "As long as we are keeping safety concerns in mind, it's the perfect use of technology for government."

The drone-hiring plan is just the latest effort to clear the snow in Somerville. Earlier this month, the city cracked down on homeowners and businesses who didn't shovel promptly.

As in many communities, residents of Somerville, Massachusetts, are navigating swaths of sidewalks still partly covered in snow and slush. This season, the city though is cracking down on homeowners and businesses that don’t shovel promptly.

Alderman Jack Connolly says inspectors are handing out brightly-colored citations he likes to call "Scarlet Letters" so neighbors know who’s being held accountable.

The parents of the San Marcos teen girl accused of starting the wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes in San Diego County last year turned down a deal offered by prosecutors Thursday.

The girl accused of starting the Cocos Fire, which destroyed nearly 40 homes amid a spate of wildfires in May 2014, was 13 when she was first arrested and charged.

She faces four felony charges, including two counts of arson of an inhabited structure or property in which multiple structures were burned and two counts of arson of a structure or forest land in a reckless manner.

She also faces a misdemeanor of unlawfully allowing a fire to escape from one’s control. 

When she appeared in juvenile court Thursday for a pre-trial hearing, the San Diego County District Attorney's office offered her what is essentially a plea bargain.

The teenager would admit responsibility for one count plus allegations.

The DA's office tells NBC 7 the teenager's parents and attorney did not accept the offer. As a result, the trial will begin March 10 and will take place downtown.

In juvenile cases, the focus is on rehabilitation over imprisonment.

"The goal of the juvenile system is to rehabilitate," said Deputy District Attorney Shawnaysa Ochoa. "It doesn't matter when, if there's a trial or the person pleads before the trial, the goal is always the same."

In the meantime, the teenager is undergoing counseling and living at home with her parents.

The fire that sparked near Village Drive and Twin Oaks Road in May 2014 forced the evacuation of Cal State San Marcos and hundreds of other homes.

The Cocos Fire scorched 1,995 acres and cost the City of San Marcos approximately $10.4 million in damage and firefighting expenses.

Officials have set up an information line for victims, where they can call for basic info on the case and leave messages with questions. That number is 858-694-4241.

A 34-year-old Wallingford woman fell to her death while trying to help two victims of a hit-and-run on Interstate 91 in New Haven early Thursday morning.

Lauren Mohr had just finished her shift at Barcelona in New Haven and was driving on I-91 North near exit 7 around 12:30 a.m. when she witnessed a hit-and-run, so she pulled over, called 911 and was waiting with the victims for help to arrive, according to family members.

While waiting for help to arrive, Mohr jumped to get out of the way because she thought a car was coming, fell over a concrete wall and off the bridge, landing about 40 feet below, state police said. She Mohr was pronounced dead at Yale-New Haven Hospital. 

Lauren was the daughter of Lawrence Mohr and the step-daughter of Quinnipiac University vice president of admissions Joan Mohr.

“Lauren was courageous and optimistic, and had faced a lot of challenges in her life, which made her a caring and wise person. Friends and family would seek her advice and she will be remembered as our hero,” Lawrence Mohr said in a statement issued by Quinnipiac.

Lauren also worked as a temporary aide in the undergraduate admissions office at Quinnipiac.

“The university community was saddened to learn of the death of Lauren Mohr,” Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs at Quinnipiac, said in a statement. “The university would like to extend its sincerest condolences to the Mohr family and ask that you continue to keep Lauren’s family and her many friends in your thoughts and prayers.”

Prior to working at Quinnipiac, Lauren served in the Air Force for four years and trained as a medical technician, according to Quinnipiac University.

She was a graduate of Sheehan High School in Wallingford and recently received her associate's degree in social work from Middlesex Community College. In the fall, Lauren had planned to continue studying social work at Southern Connecticut State University.

Lauren is survived by her sister, Arwen, brother-in-law Nate, 4-year-old nephew Cole and 1-and-a-half-year-old niece Eowyn, of Martinez, California, her mother, Diana, in Martland, and her beloved cat, Bucky.

Her family has contacted the New England organ donor bureau to donate her organs. Funeral plans have not been finalized.

State police are investigating and said in a news release that Elvin Ayala, 33, of Branford, hit the car driven by Elizabeth Anne Kranz, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, on I-91 North near exit 8. Ayala fled the scene, police said.

Ayala was charged with evading responsibility, operating while under suspension and following too closely, according to a news release from state police. East Haven police towed his vehicle, and Kranz's car was also towed from the scene.

An eight-month investigation into the deadly rampage in Isla Vista, California, closed on Thursday, concluding that Elliot Rodger acted alone and that better systems are needed for identifying troubled individuals who might be capable of killing others.

The investigation also found disturbing searches in Rodger's Internet history and other online activities.

The 64-page report (here) conducted by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office provides a detailed look at both at Rodger's "premeditated, murderous rampage" as well as an analysis of the evidence uncovered after Rodger killed himself.

In May 2014, 22-year-old Rodger stabbed three men to death inside his apartment, then went on a shooting rampage that began at UC Santa Barbara's Alpha Phi sorority house, when he fired on students from his car. He went on to fire rounds at multiple locations in the small town, killing another student at a nearby deli and wounding others.

He killed himself at the end of the rampage.

One focus of the report was whether Rodger acted alone.

"The convoluted nature of this rapidly unfolding massacre, and the nature in which it quickly ended, initially led law enforcement to believe that there were two suspects," Detective Joe Schmidt said in the report.

But detectives found no evidence to show he was assisted in any way.

At the time of the killings, Rodger was seeing a life coach who had become worried about his behavior. Deputies had been dispatched to his apartment for a welfare check by his mother on April 30, as she was worried about disturbing videos he had posted on YouTube.

He had been treated for mental health issues for many years, according to the report. He had also come into contact with deputies in the months before the shooting after an altercation with his roommate and others.

The report indicates, consistent with previous reports, that deputies did not find Rodger to be a danger to himself or others. They did not find that they had enough reason to place him on a mental health hold.

Rodger emailed a manifesto to some family members just minutes before he went on the shooting rampage, but hours after the first three stabbings, saying he was driven to kill women because no woman had wanted to date him, saying "Women’s rejection of me is a declaration of war."

The manifesto referenced slicing throats, bludgeoning, slashing and using his apartment as a torture chamber.

After Rodger killed himself, detectives also found in Rodger's Internet history that he had done extensive research into Nazis in the report, including searches on his laptop including the phrase "Did Adolf Hitler have a girlfriend."

They discovered Rodger had a strong interest in violent video games, movies and books.

He also uploaded a disturbing video to YouTube detailing his complaints against a society he felt had rejected him.

While the investigation concluded that numerous mental health professionals had not been able to foresee his violent crime spree, it encouraged a development of new tactics and methods of sharing information that might help prevent another person with known mental health issues from being able to carry out such a rampage again.

"It is hoped that a thorough review of these materials by both law enforcement and mental health professionals will lead to the development of some new techniques and practices in identifying and treating such troubled persons."

Researchers at LA BioMed, a nonprofit independent lab, are on the cutting edge. They're in the final stages of developing a vaccine against MRSA - another hospital based infection.

If that works, it could one day lead to a vaccine against CRE and other so-called "superbugs."

"We've been preparing for this," said Dr. Jamie McKinnell, the LA BioMed lead researcher. "CRE is a pathogen that keeps me up at night. We're trying to figure out how to prevent it."

CRE is suspected of contributing to two deaths and seven infections at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

The patients infected all had an advanced endoscopic procedure using an instrument that is difficult to sterilize.

Researchers say CRE is new to California, but is widely seen on the East Coast and in Israel.

Doctors say since CRE is resistant to antibiotics, the best way to deal with the problem is to try and prevent it from occurring in the first place.

Vaccines train your immune system how to identify the infectious bacteria so your body can fight it.

Researchers say if the MRSA vaccine is proven successful it would still be several years before it would be available to the public.

"The patients that will see the biggest benefit are patients that are going to the hospital," McKinnell said. "But, essentially, everybody is at risk of a MRSA infection so you could give it to every child and every adult."

Another preventive tool being studied is an antibacterial soap that's used in intensive care units.

"We're really interested in using an old hospital soap. It's called Chlorhexidine," McKinnell said. "That reduces their risk of carrying CRE and transmitting it to other patients."

Investigators say they're working with hospitals to develop a coordinated response to this CRE outbreak - to make sure it doesn't spread any further.

Doctors and administrators at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center said Thursday that new procedures for cleaning a medical device used in some exams will prevent the "superbug" that led to two deaths and five other infections from spreading to anyone else.

Officials also faced tough questions as many wondered why it had taken them until yesterday to tell the public about an outbreak that began more than a month ago.

"It takes a little bit of time to identify the patients who are at risk for the procedure," said Dr. Zachary Rubin, the hospital’s medical director of infection prevention.

In mid-December, a UCLA patient received a gallbladder exam using a device called an endoscope.

The patient, whose identity was not disclosed, developed immediate symptoms of the "superbug" bacteria, doctors said. The patient had a fever, chills and then a massive infection.

Doctors tested the scope to make sure it was used and sterilized properly.

The devices are difficult to sterilize completely, and even feature warnings from the manufacturer. Doctors found two of the scopes may have transmitted the bacteria.

Researchers then found seven other cases of the infection stemming from the CRE bacteria, which is fatal in as many as half of those whose bloodstreams are exposed to it.

The bacteria exists naturally in many people’s intestines and will not affect them, but once it enters the bloodstream it can be deadly.

"We do do surveillance on a regular, routine basis for CRE, and we've actually done additional investigation over the past few years," Rubin said.

But the bacteria did not turn up when the first patient was admitted, the one who may have been a "carrier."

While researching any possible exposure, the hospital implemented new and stricter requirements for sterilizing the scopes.

Checking records to find out which endoscopies were performed on which patients with the two contaminated devices took time, said doctors.

They also didn't want to alarm all patients who'd had endoscopies if they weren't exposed to the same contaminated instruments.

Ultimately, they discovered 179 patients total who may have been exposed during procedures between October 2014 and Jan. 28.

Doctors are continuing to reach out to patients who may have been affected. Rubin said they have called and emailed patients out of an “abundance of caution.”

"What we're doing now is trying to identify any patients that have 'carrier state,'" Rubin said.

Deputies sought the public's help on Thursday to identify a man who died in 2013.

A sketch was released of the man, based on an artist's rendering.

Police aren't sure whether the man was killed. He was found with a 35-pound dumbbell tied around his ankles with a chain.

Authorities believe he was between 30 and 50 years old, about 5 foot 8, and weighed 165 pounds. His body was discovered badly decomposed, weeks after they believe he died.

The man was found by a boater about half a mile out at sea, just off the coast of Crystal Cove State Park. There were no witnesses. This was in December 2013.

At the time he was wearing black size 11 Asics tennis shoes and dark nylon sweatpants with zippers. On his arm was a Timex watch that had stopped oddly enough on the day he was discovered, Dec. 24.

Coroner's officials had to reconstruct his face.

"At some point the actual skull is examined," said Lt. Jeff Hallock, of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. "A photo is taken. A sketch artist essentially traces that skull and then tries to recreate it with a sketch based on the bone structure and so forth."

Keep in mind this face was not drawn from a photo but from recreating the man's face from the bone structure in his skull.

Officials were not able to get fingerprints off the body and have alerted law enforcement across the western U.S.

A bacterial "superbug" linked to two deaths and several infections at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center was transmitted from patient to patient by a medical device, health officials said Thursday.

There may also be more infections, authorities said.

Almost 180 patients at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center have been notified that they may have been exposed to the bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), between October 2014 and January 2015.

The devices, called duodenoscopes, are used for diagnosing and treating certain problems of the biliary or pancreatic systems, and were known for needing rigorous disinfection. They are used in an estimated 500,000 procedures each year.

The Food and Drug Administration also issued a new warning, saying that the design of the minimally invasive device can harbor the dangerous bacteria, even if the manufacturer's detailed cleaning instructions are followed correctly.

"Meticulously cleaning duodenoscopes prior to high-level disinfection should reduce the risk of transmitting infection, but may not entirely eliminate it," said the warning, released Thursday morning.

About 135 patients across the U.S. may have been exposed to bacteria transmitted with the devices in 2013 and 2014, according to 75 reports delivered to the FDA.

The FDA recommended that doctors inform patients of the risks of using ERCP endoscopes before a procedure, and afterwards telling them what symptoms to look for that could indicate a CRE infection.

UCLA has called each of the 179 patients who may have been exposed to to CRE, hospital officials said. The  hospital's two duodenoscopes that may have been infected are no longer being used.

Much of the area around Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue near the Oscars venue was restricted Thursday afternoon as police investigated a possible bomb threat involving a car, snarling traffic into the evening commute.

Bomb squad officers determined there was no threat just after 4 p.m. and streets were reopened soon after, according to LAPD.

Street closures included about three blocks around the intersection, according to Lt. Michael Ling with LAPD’s Hollywood Division.

Around 11 a.m., initial reports indicated there was a call about a possibly intoxicated man in a car who may have been carrying a propane tank. The man was taken into custody and some fuel spilled onto the street, according to Officer Drake Madison of LAPD’s media relations section.

Because of some comments the man made about the car, officers treated it as a suspicious device and called in the bomb squad.

Just before 4 p.m., officers used a water cannon to open the trunk and are continuing to investigate the nature of the incident.

Traffic was backed up around the busy intersection and motorists and residents were asked to avoid the area.

The incident is just a short distance from the Dolby Theatre, which will host the Academy Awards Sunday night.

For parents of special need children, finding the right school can be tough. Many say their kids are separated and ostracized from other students.

A local school in Woodland Hills is instead taking the approach that education should be inclusive, with all students in the same classroom, which teachers and parents say is working.

"We would have been segregated," actress Amy Brenneman said of what her family’s experience would be like anywhere but CHIME Charter school. "There absolutely would have been Charlotte goes here, Bohdi goes there."

The inclusiveness is what Brenneman, mother to seventh-grader Charlotte and fourth-grader Bodhi, hopes her kids take away from the K-8th grade school.

Charlotte is a special needs student, who receives services as part of the federally mandated Individualized Education Program, or IEP.

"I have one kid with an IEP, one that is not and they are getting similar attention," Brenneman said. "So I think that's what makes it attractive to non-special-ed kids and that is the victory of the school."

The ideology may be expanding, officials with CHIME said LAUSD has given them the green light to develop three schools in the district and work toward more inclusive practices.

But parents worry that the theory behind the school’s approach could be threatened by a federal proposal.

A proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act eliminates accountability and achievements for students with disabilities and low performing schools, a worry for folks at CHIME.

"The concern is that we will be lowering expectations for a very large number of students," said Assistant Professor Amy Hanreddy of Cal State Northridge, who is a liaison to CHIME.

A spokesperson for the proposal's author, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), insists discussions about changes to the law are ongoing to better serve all students, including those with disabilities.

Also ongoing are fundraisers like "CHIMEapalooza," set for this weekend to make sure CHIME, with a state performance score in the coveted 800s, continues.

"It takes a community commitment to do it, but I hope that this model is disseminated to the point that there is no “CHIME” but this is business as usual," Brenneman said.
 

The upward trend of gasoline prices likely will be accelerated in California for at least the next week due to the damage sustained at a major refinery, industry analysts predict.

Consensus is the price of a gallon of regular will rise another nickel or dime by this weekend, and possibly by another 25 cents next week.

"It could be significant for the short term," said Jared Anderson, managing editor of the online report Breaking Energy.

A portion of the refinery involved in pollution control, known as the fluid catalytic cracker, is shut down by order of Cal/OSHA, and cannot resume operation until proven to be safe, according to spokesman Peter Melton.

Without that unit, it would be difficult if not impossible to produce gasoline without exceeding pollution standards, said Bob van der Valk, a veteran of the oil industry in California and currently senior editor of the Bakken Oil Business Journal,

"No gasoline is being made there," said van der Valk. "For the moment they are not making anything — just steam and keeping it warm."

ExxonMobil did not respond specifically to inquiries about current production, but in a statement said the refinery "continues to stabilize operations...The non-impacted units of the refinery continue to operate.  We are diligently working to ensure continued supply to our customers." 

The Torrance refinery can produce up to 155,000 barrels of gasoline a day, about one-tenth of California's gasoline consumption.

Dealing with Monday's problem was expected to take seven to 10 days, van der Valk said. "Then Wednesday the other shoe dropped."

Since Tuesday, the spot market price for gasoline in the LA area has risen 22 cents, van der Valk said. He sees the pump price rising another 25-30 cents next week.

At a Valero station across 190th Street from the refinery, a gallon of regular jumped six cents to $2.85 in the first day after the refinery explosion. But increases were not uniform. At a Mobil station just a few blocks away, regular remained at $2.79 a gallon.

During the past year, the falling cost of crude oil had driven gasoline to the lowest levels since 2010, more than a dollar below pump prices early in 2014. But in January, prices began steadily edging up, to the point that even before the refinery was damaged, a gallon of regular cost 35 cents more than a month ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge report.

Thursday morning, the average cost of a gallon in LA-Long Beach stood at $2.90.

Another factor putting upward price pressure is the strike that has closed a Tesoro refinery in Martinez in Northern California since early this month. That has already been factored into the spot market price, said van der Valk.

In Torrance, the investigation continues into the cause of Wednesday's explosion and fire, that injured four contract workers.

Following safety inspections of the Torrance ExxonMobil refinery and subsequent investigation last year, Cal/OSHA issued 25 notices of violation, 17 categorized as "general," and eight as "serious," according to state records. The sum was more than the total of violations cited over the previous four years.

A town-hall meeting to discuss the refinery situation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in the Toyota Meeting Room of the Torrance Civic Center, according to Mayor Patrick Furey.

Six months ago, San Bernardino Police Officer Gabriel Garcia was nearly killed in a shootout, protecting his city.

On Thursday, Garcia walked up to his Beaumont home, showing the huge strides he’s made since the shooting.

At his house, Garcia was met with volunteers — many of whom have never met him before — who have been working to make sure his home has everything he’ll need to be able to get around when he is able to return home.

"I went through that one point where I needed help and somebody helped me. I like giving back," said Curt Ferraro, who was there with a group from Home Depot, which contributed materials.

Garcia was shot in the head Aug. 22 when a man opened fire in a San Bernardino neighborhood. Garcia’s rookie partner shot and killed the man believed to have injured him.

Garcia began to speak a couple months after the shooting, and can now walk with braces and has regained some speech.

"He can just focus on getting back to his job, and saving people and helping the community," said Janine Chesney, also of Home Depot.

It has taken six months of intensive therapy just for him to be able to walk up his driveway.

"You know he's having to relearn everything,” said his father, retired police Capt. Ron Garcia. “He's started from scratch."

Garcia said he couldn't be any more proud of his son.

"He will live independently here eventually. He's working his way toward that now," Garcia said.

"I know one day he's going to be back to his normal self," Lydia Garcia said.
 
And that's why San Bernardino police and Home Depot are renovating the home Officer Garcia shares with his five year old daughter.

They’re putting in things like a new handrail, so he can walk upstairs.

"It's just good to come out to be able to give back to one of our own," said Det. Devin Peck.

They are giving back to a man who put his life on the line for his city, and he is grateful to them.

"Amazing," Garcia said. "That these people show up. And first off they pray for me. I feel amazing."

The powdery substance that fell from the sky onto Torrance after Wednesday's explosion in the ExxonMobil Refinery was from  a chemical catalyst used in the plant, and "may cause irritation," according to a statement released by the oil company.

"The material is not expected to be hazardous to people or animals under the conditions it was released," stated ExxonMobil.  "However, it may cause irritation to the skin, eyes, and throat."

Some witnesses as far as three miles from the refinery had described "ash"  coming down and sticking to cars.   "Fine light dust" is the phrase ExxonMobil used. 

"The material is a catalyst used in our process and is primarily composed of some metal oxides and amorphous silica," ExxonMobil stated.  "We sent the material for testing and our preliminary results are consistent with the results from an independent test conducted at the request of the Torrance Fire Department."

The company announced it has established a "claims hotline," reachable at 844-631-2539.

The statement also gave an update on plant operations:  "The non-impacted units of the refinery continue to operate.  We are diligently working to ensure continued supply to our customers."