It sounds like someone's idea of a cruel joke: gas for $8 a gallon. And in Sausalito this week, that was exactly the case.

Bridgeway Gas Station on Thursday had its premium unleaded gas going for $7.99 a gallon. Prices came down a bit Friday, but nowhere near Bay Area averages.

While it defies logic and fairness, the owner said he increased prices because he is tired of people complaining about how much they have to pay for gas.

Locals said the owner has been at it for months.

"When all the prices went down, he doubled his and the more people complained," said Dana, a Sausalito resident. "He'd just add another dollar."

The owner's price increases are not stopping him from making a profit.  The owner said there are enough rich customers and tourists to keep him in business, no matter what he charges.

An armed man who barricaded himself Saturday in a Woodland Hills residence following an officer-involved shooting surrendered to a SWAT team that had surrounded the home, police said.

No one was hit in the shooting in the 6000 block of Crape Myrtle Court, which began with a 4:08 p.m. report of a male with mental illness, Los Angeles police Officer Drake Madison said.

A SWAT team and negotiators were called to the scene at a multi-unit residential complex, police said.

The man surrendered about 8 p.m., according to reports from the scene.

Neighboring residents were advised to shelter in place or avoid the area completely during the standoff, authorities said.

A toddler is in critical condition after being bitten by a snake in the Inland Empire Saturday morning.

The young boy was airlifted to a local hospital after he was bitten at about 11 a.m. in the area of East Benton and Warren roads in an unincorporated part of Riverside County near Murrieta, the Riverside County Fire Department said in an incident report.

Fire officials did not immediately know what kind of snake bit the boy, whose age was not given.

Refresh this page for updates on this developing story. 

A 7-year-old child was hospitalized with a broken leg after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in the Boyle Heights area Saturday, police said.

The child had run into the street about 6:20 p.m. in the 3100 block of Ganahl Street when a white compact car struck him and kept going, Los Angeles Police Department officials said.

The child was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. He was expected to be OK.

Police initially said the child was a girl, but later issued a correction and said it was a boy.

Police were at the scene investigating the crash.

Police were searching for a man who attempted to sexually assault two girls near separate Ontario schools on Friday.

The man approached a girl just before 8 a.m. near Ray Wiltsey Junior High School and asked her to perform a sexual act, Ontario Police Department officials said.

The girl ran away and reported the incident.

About two hours later, a man matching the same description was seen parked near Valley View High School. Police said he approached another girl from behind and attempted to sexually assault her. She was also able to run away.

The man was described as Hispanic or white, between 19 and 22 years old. He was about 5-foot-9-inches with a thin build, brown eyes and brown hair that was short on the sides and long on the top.

His car was described as a newer model blue two-door Honda Civic.

Anyone with information was asked to call Ontario police.
 

A two-year-old boy died after being struck by a car in Santa Ana late Saturday night, police said.

The boy was struck after wandering from a nearby residence, in the 800 block of South Newhope Street, just before 10 p.m., Santa Ana Police Department Commander Enrique Esparza said.

He got at least a block away the residence before getting struck by an on-coming vehicle, officers said.

The driver stayed on scene and was cooperating with the investigation, police said. There was no immediate signs that the driver was intoxicated or speeding at the time of the accident, and the driver told police he didn't see the boy on the street before hitting him.

The boy was transported to a local hospital in grave condition but later died of his injuries, Esparza said.

Police are still investigating the collision, and ask anyone who saw it to call 714-245-8216.

It’s that time of year again for tens of thousands of runners to flood the streets of Los Angeles and raise money for dozens of charities.

The 30th edition of the ASICS LA Marathon will commence Sunday, March 15 at 6:55 a.m. starting at Dodgers Stadium and ending near the beautiful Santa Monica Pier. The 26.2 mile race attracts more than 26,000 runners from all over the nation and more than 55 countries around the world, making it one of the five largest marathons in the US and one of the 10 largest worldwide.

Street Closures

View Larger Map

If you’re a seasoned Angeleno you know just how difficult it can be to get around on race day. Using the interactive map provided by Commuterama.com, officials listed street closures and their affected times.

From the marathon's website:

Major East/West Accessibility Routes:

• I-10 -- all exits
• Olympic Blvd -- between the City of Santa Monica and Downtown LA
• Wilshire Blvd -- beween the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Blvd
• Beverly Blvd -- between Fairfaix Ave and Silver Lake Blvd
• Santa Monica Blvd -- between Fairfax Ave and Myra Ave
• Sunset Blvd -- between Pacific Palisades and Doheny Dr

Major North/South Accessibility Routes:

• Bundy Dr -- between Olympic Blvd and Wilshire Blvd
• I-405 -- all exits (except I-405S at Santa Monica Blvd)
• Fairfax Ave -- between Olympic Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd
• US-101 -- check ramp closures
• I-110 -- check ramp closures

Course Crossing Points via Overpass/Underpass

• Use I-110 to cross under course at Sunset Blvd
• Use US-101 to cross under course at Main St
• Use I-110 to cross over course at Temple St
• Use US-101 to cross under course at Edgeware Rd
• Use Silver Lake Blvd to cross under course at Sunset Blvd
• Use Myra Ave to cross under course at Sunset Blvd
• Use US-101 to cross under course at Hollywood Blvd
• Use I-405 to cross over course at Ohio Ave
• Use Wilshire Blvd to cross over course at Veterans Administration

Street closures will begin at 4 a.m. on Sunday, with most roads expected to reopen by 5 p.m. Freeway ramp closures in the Santa Monica area will be affected longer by the race, closing at 12 a.m. and reopening at 9 p.m. A full list of highways affected is available online.

Metro rail services will run as normal. Free non-stop bus shuttles will be available for spectators between the Santa Monica and Culver City Expo Line stations beginning at 5a.m.

Metro buses that normally pass through the marathon’s course will take alternative routes. A full list of services that will be interrupted is also available online.

Weather Warning

Record heat temperatures are expected over the weekend, prompting officials to change the usual 7:25 a.m. start time of the race to 30 minutes earlier.

“The weather conditions pose a high level of risk for marathoners and all participants should be advised to take precaution,” officials said in a weather warning posted on the race’s website.

A seven-day forecast on Wednesday showed the mercury rising reaching into the high 80s on the day of the race.

Water, cooling buses and misting stations will be available for runners along the course.

A rookie Los Angeles Police Department officer was wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of a man in Pomona, California, officials said Saturday.

Henry Solis, a 27-year-old probationary officer, was sought as a "person of interest," Pomona Police Department officials said.

"Solis' whereabouts is unknown, and we have reason to believe that he knows the police are looking to talk with him," Pomona police said in a news release.

LAPD officials said Solis did not show up to work Saturday and they have not been able to locate him. Foul play was not believed to be a factor in the officer's disappearance.

LAPD Commander Andrew Smith said Solis was a "probationer police officer" who entered the police academy in June 2014. Solis was assigned to Devonshire Division in November 2014 and has been working there with a training officer. His probationary period was set to end in November 2015.

Police were searching for Solis in connection with the killing of a 23-year-old man who was shot after getting into a fight with another man in Pomona early Friday morning.

Solis was off-duty at the time, police said.

Officers responding to multiple 911 calls of shots fired in the area of Third and Main streets about 3:30 a.m. found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper body, Pomona Police Department officials said.

The victim, identified by police as Ontario resident Salome Rodriguez, Jr., was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he later died.

Homicide detectives said Rodriguez and the gunman had gotten into a "physical altercation" prior to the shooting. They don't believe the men knew each other and say the incident was not gang related.

Police said a compact car was seen leaving the area after the shooting, but it was unknown if it was connected to the incident.

Solis drives a silver or gray 2013 Volkswagen Jetta with California license plate 7FAS527. He is described as 5-foot-9-inches tall, weighing 185 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Smith said "without getting into the nuts and bolts" of the investigation, the LAPD was helping Pomona police in locating Solis, but that the case was ultimately a "Pomona PD caper."

Rodriguez's friends said they were in disbelief to hear that an LAPD officer was wanted in connection with his murder.

The victim was a "hard worker, great friend, upbeat fun guy," said George Martinez. “No reason to get in a fight with anybody. Just a great guy all around."

People gathered at the intersection in prayer Saturday night.

"Pomona PD has been really good about holding it down here in Pomona, just to hear that somebody from the Los Angeles Police Department is involved is unbelievable,” said bartender Jose Baez.

Anyone with information on the incident was asked to call Pomona police at 909-620-2085.

NBC4's Pablo Kay and Kate Larsen contributed to this report.

Academy Award-nominated actor Edward James Olmos discusses breaking into show business, his legendary career and why he believes there should me more Latino-themed stories coming out of Hollywood.

The 68-year-old producer and activist, known for his ground-breaking roles in films like "Stand and Deliver" and "Selena," offered his advice for others who are looking to make a positive impact on the community.

For more information on Edward James Olmos and his upcoming projects, visit edwardjamesolmos.com and follow him on Twitter @edwardjamesolmos.

 Previous interviews on Cafecito:

• Jessica Alba
• Paul Rodriguez III
• Gina Rodriguez
  
• William Levy
• Danny Trejo
• Thalia
• Kate Del Castillo
  
• Michael Pena
• Robert Rodriguez
• Gabriel Iglesias
• Becky G: Part 1, Part 2
• Guillermo del Toro
• Rosie Perez
• John Leguizamo
• Eva Longoria
• Demi Lovato
• Cheech Marin
• Zoe Saldana

Four people were shot, including two girls, at a gathering in Compton Sunday morning, officials said.

All four of the victims were in stable condition, though one of the girls underwent surgery after she was shot in the upper torso, according to a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department spokesman.

At least 30 people were at the home where the shooting was reported, just before 12:30 a.m. in the 2700 block of West Alondra Boulevard, but it was not immediately clear what led to the shooting, according to a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department spokesman.

Details were not available about all the shooting victims. One girl, 8 years old, was was shot in the lower body and was in stable condition at a local hospital.

The two men who were also struck were also taken to a local hospital.

Refresh this page for updates on this developing story.

The first runner crossed the finish line of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon just after 9 a.m., winning his division long before extreme heat was expected to slow runners.

Daniel Limo of Kenya took 2 hours, 10 minutes and 35 seconds to run the course, according to his unofficial raise time, which stretched from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica, according to course results.

Ogla Kimaiyo, also of Kenya, was the first woman runner across the line, with an unofficial time of 2:34:09.

Wheelchair athlete Scott Parson was the first person to cross the finish line, which he did in 1:37:13.

The race kicked off before 7 a.m. Sunday, with runners expected to experience sweltering heat by the time many cross the finish line in Santa Monica.

Tag your race photos #NBC4You on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to share them with NBC4!

Elite women started the race at 6:45 a.m., followed 10 minutes later by the elite men and the main field. Wheelchairs, hand cycles and the legacy runners, who have competed in every race since 1986, led the way.

Congrats to wheelchair athlete Scott Parson, USA for being 1st across the finish line in his division! #ASICS #lamarathon

— LA Marathon (@lamarathon) March 15, 2015

The "full field" runners -- non-specialized athletes -- were originally scheduled to cross the starting line at 7:25 a.m., but race organizers pushed it up by half an hour, when temperatures would be cooler.

Cooling buses, misting stations, extra drinks andother precuations were also being taken along the race course to make sure heat didn't affect the runners too much.

Click here for street closures
Click here for information on the intense heat expected Sunday

Four puppies were rescued from a San Bernardino County house fire Saturday morning, fire officials said.

Firefighters received a call reporting a fire at approximately 1 a.m. in the 16000 block of Allen Street in Victorville, according to a statement from the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

Heavy smoke and flames surrounded the house when the first firefighters arrived, the statement read. 

They heard the resident of the home say, "my babies are inside," according to the statement. The resident was referring to five puppies still inside the burning building.

Firefighters entered the home and rescued four of the five pups, the statement read. One did not survive.

It took 15 minutes to bring the fire under control, the statement read. The cause of the fire was under investigation, but fire officials said the home had no smoke detectors.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance video after a "high-end" optical store was burglarized early Saturday in Glendale. 

Blue Eyes Optical was left in disarray after a group of thieves stole up to $200,000 in merchandise, store owner Gor Vartanyan said. Police were not yet able to confirm his estimate.

High-definition surveillance footage shows several people clad in black hoodies and sweatpants ransacking the store around 3:45 a.m. Saturday. Vartanyan estimates the group consisted of seven people.

The subjects can be seen smashing display cases, swiping handfuls of optical wear and placing the designer glasses in large bags.

"This is the only source of income for my family, a family of five," Vartanyan said. "It's just devastating."

Police are reviewing the store owner's surveillance footage, but the perpetrators are "unidentifiable at this point," Glendale Police Department Sgt. Kevin Hirano said.

The owner posted the video of the crime to the store's Facebook page asking the public to share the video.

This is not the first time the West Wilson Ave store has been burglarized, Hirano said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Glendale police at 818-548-4840.
 

So many intriguing mysteries surround a certain longtime purveyor of cold treats that we hardly know where to begin our story.

1. Does Dairy Queen have an actual throne, castle, and courtiers who wear velvet breeches and play trumpets?

2. How does one get to be known far and wide by just their initials -- in Dairy Queen's case, the snappy and now-iconic "DQ" -- in a world flooded by attention-catching foodstuffs and restaurant choices?

3. What will the founded-in-Illinois company do for its big 75th, which falls in 2015?

We know the answer to that one, as do the people you'll see queuing up at participating Dairy Queens across the land on Monday, March 16. The frozen treat shop, founded in 1940 near Chicago, will celebrate by handing out soft-serve vanilla cones on Free Cone Day at all participating Dairy Queens.

There are more fun things to come during Dairy Queen's diamond anniversary year, but bet Free Cone Day will be mighty popular, especially around Southern California, where a March heat wave is putting ice cream lovers in an ice cream state of mind.

Oh, we jest; true ice cream lovers maintain a permanent second address in that state.

So is there a hashtag for all of this frosty fun? It wouldn't be #2015 if there wasn't: #conewithme is your go-to, social media enjoyers.

Is there a limit on how many cones you can pick up? Of course there is: You may have one. You'd cock an eyebrow at the person leaving with twenty free cones in front of you, wouldn't you? Fairness is best in all things, including Free Cone Day.

And one more mystery we'd like to solve while we're delving into all things DQ: How does the vanilla soft-serve cone get that perfect little twirl on the top? And how does one recreate that in a hairstyle? Asking, of course, for a friend.

Two Los Angeles police officers were shot at and grazed by gunfire Sunday, setting off a large manhunt in a South LA neighborhood, police said.

At least two undercover officers were in a car about 5:45 p.m. in the area of 65th and Main streets when shots were fired at their car, LAPD officials said.

Officers returned fire, but it was unclear if anyone was struck. The shooters ran off in different directions, police said.

The officers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, police said. They were expected to be OK.

There was a heavy police presence from Gage to Florence avenues and Broadway to Main Street as officers from several stations flooded the area in search of the shooters.

One person was taken into custody, and at least two others were sought.

Three people had been detained by 7:20 a.m. Monday, officers said, though no one in police custody was under arrest. Officers were trying to determine whether they were involved in the case.

The officers were conducting an investigation at the time of the shooting, police said.

The stretch near 65th and Broadway has seen a sharp uptick in crime recently. The area is also where Ezell Ford, an unarmed, mentally ill man, was shot and killed by LAPD officers, sparking community outrage.

Ford was shot Aug. 11, 2014, when LAPD Officers Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas confronted Ford, who police said was making "suspicious movements" when he turned and "grabbed one of the officers."

Ford's parents have filed a wrongful death suit against the city, the LAPD and the two officers, saying the officers intentionally shot the 25-year-old even though he was "posing no threat to anyone."

Andrew Blankstein of the NBC News Investigative Unit contributed to this report.

San Bernardino police said they were investigating two people of interest Sunday in the disappearance of a 22-year-old art student from San Bernardino.

Sahray Astina Barber, an Art Institute of California - Inland Empire student, has not been seen since the morning of March 9 when she left her apartment in the 1500 block of Northpark Boulevard, police said.

Police declined to name the two people, but said they "may be involved in her disappearance."

Barber's two roommates reported her missing. They were previously questioned, along with Barber's ex-boyfriend, police said.

Barber’s disappearance came on the heels of a series of violent crimes at California State University, San Bernardino, which is across the street from her home. However, police said her case did not appear to be connected to the incidents on the CSUSB campus.

Some of Barber's personal belongings, including a laptop and her cellphone, were found in vegetation about 30 yards away from a bus stop that she may have been heading to.

Law enforcement officers on horseback have scoured hillsides and ravines in search of the woman.

A candlelight vigil held for Barber on Friday night drew hundreds of people.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost 91-86 to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at Staples Center.

Before Sunday's game started, the Hawks announced that DeMarre Carroll, Paul Milsap and Jeff Teague would all sit out to rest. While that would appear to be a boost for the Los Angeles Lakers, the home team quickly started the contest trailing 23-8 and essentially spotted the Hawks 15 points.

From there, the Lakers would rally. Not for the first time, the Lakers' bench brought them back into the game. This time, Ed Davis, Ryan Kelly and Jabari Brown fueled the comeback. Brown, who was playing in only his second ever NBA game, started 4/4 and bested his previous mark with nine points on the night.

Rookie Jordan Clarkson, who has been the primary positive in an overall negative season, started the game with an attacking mindset but failed to reap the rewards. After missing three of his first four shots and committing a couple careless turnovers in the first quarter, the point guard reentered the game in the second period with about seven and a half minutes to play in the half.

By that point, the Lakers' bench had cut the gap to only two points. Clarkson's aggression would help the point guard to a team-high eight points by halftime, and the Lakers trailed by three points at the intermission.

Worth noting, Kyle Korver suffered a broken nose and left the game in the second quarter, meaning Atlanta was without three of its four All-Stars for the entire second half. With Carroll also sitting, the Hawks technically were without four of their five starters the remainder of the way. Add in that Mike Scott was out due to an injured toe, and Atlanta was without five of its rotation players.

Even with all the aforementioned advantages provided to the Lakers, LA came out flat in the third quarter, which sounds like a broken record at this point in the season. Atlanta's only available All-Star and regular starter, Al Horford, played a major role in the vital third period. Horford would add 10 points in the quarter to take his tally to 20 points after three quarters.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Hawks would extend their lead to 16 points. However, the Lakers would rally and cut the lead to only two points with thirty seconds to play in the game, setting up an exciting finish.

With the crowd spurring the late Lakers' rally and the young Hawks clanking shots down the stretch, 21-year-old Dennis Schroder from Germany drove to the bucket and easily extended the Hawks' advantage to four points with only 13.9 seconds to play. From there, the Hawks hit free throws, and even a late Wesley Johnson three-pointer could not save the Lakers from defeat. Schroder would finish as top scorer with 24 points in the game, including a couple clutch free throws to ice the contest.

LA dropped to 17-48 on the season, which leaves LA firmly in fourth place in the NBA lottery chase. After the game, the Lakers caught a flight to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they face the NBA best Golden State Warriors on Monday night in Oakland.

Notes: Clarkson finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Carlos Boozer and Ryan Kelly finished with 13 points apiece. The aforementioned trio of Lakers were the only players to score in double figures for the home team.

The map below shows locations where fatal shark attacks took place off the California coast since about 1900, compiled by the Shark Research Institute.

Click the points on the map to learn more about each attack.

Police recovered a car that belongs to a rookie Los Angeles Police Department officer who was named as a "person of interest" in a deadly shooting that occurred Friday night, officials said.

Officer Henry Solis's Volkswagen Jetta was found at 12:55 p.m. in a Pomona alley near the intersection of Main Street and Monterey Avenue, according to the Pomona Police Department, several blocks from where Salome Rodriguez Jr. was gunned down following a Friday night fistfight. 

The news came as friends of Rodriguez shared cellphone video of him dancing at a nightclub in the hours before he was shot and killed.

"We were dancing, we were laughing, after it was over we ate pizza," said Rodriguez's friend, Monique Ortiz.

Ortiz knows Rodriguez from the nightclub where they partied and drank before the shooting took place.

"We told him we'd walk him to his car, he gave me a piggyback ride," she said. "He was happy, no confrontation inside the club, nothing."

A man who identified himself as Gene recently started working with Rodriguez delivering furniture.

"It was just a day off for us so we just wanted to go out and have some fun," Gene said

Gene said both he and Rodriguez were drunk and fell asleep in Gene's Audi in a parking lot after the bars let out.

"Next thing you know when I wake up, I wake up to the cops around my car and like the paramedics taking him away," he said.

Ortiz said she received a text from Rodriguez.

"I had heard from him a half hour before. What if I woudl've texted back, you know? What if he needed something, a ride. I don't remember saying bye, because I was drunk," she said.

Neither Ortiz nor Gene say they recognize Solis.

"I've been looking at his picture ever since they posted it up on Facebook - I do not remember seeing him inside at all," Gene said.