eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer is live at the scene in chester with the latest information. tim. >> reporter: and sandra that crippled train is still on the tracks here in chester tonight, but from our vantage point you can clearly see the engine itself is off the track. it derailed, but the nagging question is why this backhoe that was struck by the train ended up on the same line. >> the front of amtrak train 9 is smashed and mangled with the lead engine off the tracks after it had slammed into a backhoe killing two people. >> sir, be advised, train 89 hit a backhoe. there's multiple injuries reported. >> i woke up to the scene in front of me and the window got blown out right beside me, and fire ball. >> smoky, kind of nasty smelling smoke started coming in the train. people were -- it was scary. >> the train had left new york's penn station and was heading towards savannah georgia. it was just past philadelphia passing through chester when amtrak officials say it suddenly came up on the backhoe and two men operating it. senator schumer says he was told by amtrak's chairma

. >> tim fleischer has the story. >> the voting place here in this particular precinct has been busy. now they believe their vote really matters. >> the candidates are on these very extreme points of the spectrum and i think that energizes people. votes carry more weight in this super tuesday primary. >> we're really late in the process and yet it matters. >> reporter: voters see many factors in their choices. >> the person who shows the most interest i'd say. so i followed that knowledge and see what happens. >> there were several good candidates and i had to choose and that was difficult. >> reporter: george anna had bernie sanders. traditional. and i think hillary is a career politician. >> reporter: state elections officials are hoping that a surge in voter registration will result in a higher turnout at the polls. in addition to connecticut, other states. rhode island, pennsylvania, maryland and delaware. bernie sanders still courted voters in pennsylvania while hillary clinton moved on to indiana, one of the states in but the professor of political science at fairfield universit

tim fleischer is at her house in coney island, brooklyn. >> this 17-year-old girl was in the middle of this coney island street police say by another teenager. two days later, she died. >> everybody is just heart broken over this. she has a loving family. >> reporter: in the apartment building where tajae warner lived, there's a growing memorial for her. just 17 years old but remembered by so many here with candles, flowers, and memories. at the family's apartment, her mother and father heart broken to speak. now. >> reporter: on west 24th street late last friday, tajae and her younger brother encountered 18-year-old serena who struck tajae numerous times in the head, knocking her unconscious. they believe she struck her head when she hit the ground. >> i guess pick her out as a target. they probably was already out here looking for problems that day. >> reporter: two days later tajae was declared brain dead. >> reality hit me in the face and it's not going to go away for some time. >> reporter: tajae's father was visibly upset as he spoke at he struggles to deal with her tragic and su

tim fleischer is live in brooklyn. >> reporter: this is still a very developing story right now. i can show you here, this is the scene along 4th avenue. the scene stretches between 22nd street and 24th street. what we're learning, eyewitness news is learning is that a 63- year-old businessman, who has a company in this area, is well known in the area, was loading up his suv this morning, when suddenly a man tried to carjack that suv. he was able to get in it, and start to drive off. the owner of the business, then they confronted him the next block up between 22nd and 23rd. he opened the door, he struggle. at some point, the man ran off. the alleged carjacker and ran over the owner of the business. the carjacker than ran the car up around the block around 22nd street and then crashed into that truck that you see down at the other end of 22nd street, the alleged carjacker then ran off on foot, and police a the this point are still looking for him. again, one person is dead in what appears to be a carjacking, and police are now looking for a suspect. reporting live in brooklyn, ti

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer is live. >>reporter: lives were put in danger by this alleged gang activity not only at the housing complex, but at the play ground you see in the distance. busting these gangs marks history. >> today we announce what is believed to be down in new york city history. >> more than 100 alleged memories ber - more than 100 alleged gang members -- the investigator say they threatened many lives especially here on this play ground. >> instead of children playing in safety, tells allegedly stored guns and sold drugs in that play ground. >> a massive show of force of special teams of officers from the nypd, the fbi and other agencies moved in quickly early this morning, arresting 100 suspects. >> the distracted individuals that have yielded violence, narcotic sells in these very vibrant communities in the north rock. >> the bangs are accused in the murders of five victims including the stabbing of a 15-year-old. >> shot and killed by a home off-white plains road in 2009. >> the gang activity investiga

tim fleischer, channel 7 eye witness news. >>> play ball. opening day is here. the long road back to the world series is now underway for the new york mets. tonight they faced off against their fall classic opponents, the kansas city royals. laura behnke is in the news room. >> losing to the royals in the world series last fall was difficult for the mets and their fans to say the least. first had to once again relive that defeat because this game is in kansas city where the theme was world series champions. of course it was. all sorts of pageantry with the world series trophy and the banner was revealed all while the mets watched. then it was baseball. they had a fresh start. troubles against the royals continuing in the 1st. the routine fly ball dropped and it led to the first run of the game. the good news, it's a long game. right now, however, the royals have the 4-0 lead. we're just getting started with opening night. coming up in sports the latest highlights from kansas city and a look at the games this afternoon on baseball's opening day. >> we'll see you

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer was there and he joins us live from downtown brooklyn. >> as you point out, it was a very emotional trial, especially as the surviving officer took the stand and testified in the trial. they also remembered the fallen officer and then they watched the horrifying pictures as these officers struggled in this apartment fire. >> reporter: as rosa rodriguez and her partner dennis huerra took the floor they were overcome by thick smoke when the >> can't breathe. >> reporter: they immediately radioed for help. we were able to walk in the hallway but couldn't breathe well. dockery is accused of setting a mattress fire and now on trial for murder, arson, and assault. >> it's a difficult day for every new york city police officer in that courtroom. >> reporter: the officers in the thick choking smoke tried to find the emergency exit. i was holding on to him because i couldn't see. we were calling for help. then officer guerra's haunting last words on a radio transmission. 85. 85. the last call for help. >> this family had to sit there and watch the last step

i witness news reporter tim fleischer at the scene with the story. >>reporter: police in butler released no details. prosecutor's office confirmed some information. when police surrounded this small house in butler yesterday, the neighbors took notice. >> there was a lot of commotion. there was a lot -- all the neighbors were out and people coming down the street. this place was packed. >> by night fall, police surrounded a house in butler where a 23-year-old man was shot by police. according to witnesses, inside of his grandmother's home. this neighbor who did not want her face on camera saw the man brought out on a stretcher. >> when i saw him, i said he's dead and i started crying and shaking. i said the kid is dead. >> police rushed him to an ambulance into a helicopter for a flight to the hospital. investigators have not released his name. out there, so i figured it was him. >> it didn't surprise me. >> amanda went to school with the man and said he had been in trouble with the law previously. >> it is sad. i wish the best for him. i don't wish

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer has more. >> reporter: a massive show of force of special teams of officers from and other agencies moved in quickly in bronx neighborhoods early this morning arresting 100 suspects. >> we've extracted individuals that have yielded violence, narcotic sales, in these very vibrant communities in the north bronx. >> reporter: the suspects, from two violent rival street gangs were shackled. >> today we announce what is believed to be the largest gang takedown in new york city history. >> reporter: their alleged violence, investigators say, especially here on this playground used by children at the eastchester garden houses. >> instead of children playing in safety, members allegedly stored guns and sold drugs in that playground. >> >>> reporter: the gangs are also accused in the murders of five victims including the stabbing. >> shot and killed by a stray bullet in her own home off white plains road back in 2009. >> reporter: the gang activity, investigators say, spanned a nine-year period, beginning in 2007. one gang, police say, worked a large neigh

tim fleischer is live in norwalk tonight. >> connecticut voters, especially here at this precinct in norwalk, are feeling this time around during super tuesday that their vote actually carries elections. >> reporter: as only republicans and democrats cast ballots in this connecticut primary, they're a bit unaccustom to having their vote carry more importance than usual. >> i don't remember this much attention being paid to a primary in connecticut before so it's exciting. >> reporter: state elections officials are hoping a surge in voter registration will result in a higher turnout in the polls. >> we're really late in the process and yet it does matter. the delegates matter. >> reporter: and what speaks to vote snrz -- voters? >> the person that can relate to my needs. that matters the most to me. >> i think she's very smart, knowledgeable. >> reporter: professor of political science at fairfield university sees voters on both side choosing between extreme messages. >> sanders is criticizing the establishment. and gosh, trump certainly has, hasn't he? >> >>> reporter: in addition to

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer talked to the victim and posted this video of the assault on twitter. he is live in crown heights. tim? >> reporter: and shirley that attack took place here at a1 merchandising. clearly this attack was >> and you can see the violent assault right there, he's suddenly punched in the face by one of two teenagers. >> they could have picked anybody. they circled around and chose me personally for who i was. >> he was transferring palettes of cleaning supplies. in video captured by the company security camera, the two young men are seen coming together on the sidewalk. walking up on the fork truck. >> asked me for the time, which i pulled out my cell phone. and i told them the time. >> without warning. >> the other one reached in and just reached me in the face. >> reporter: in the video he is then able to jump off and wrestle one of the teenagers to the ground. >> and he wanted to go, we said we will wait for the police and tell them what happened. >> did he say anything? >> he said i didn't do anything wrong. >> the suspect that threw the punch then runs

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer talked to the victims. he's in borough park. >> certainly this bank robbery has captured not only our attention but our imagination has to how they could have pulled off this heist. customers are wanting to know if their valuables have been stolen. >> reporter: nypd crime scene investigators are spending hsbc bank branch on 13th avenue in borough park, the scene of a daring heist. $280,000 was taken from the bank's vault eyewitness news has learned and thieves pried in to a number of safety deposit boxes, stealing valuable possessions. >> they've told me nothing. they didn't even tell me that there was a break-in or some kind of problem here. >> reporter: stanley hirsch has a safety deposit box inside. >> jewelry, paperwork. i think my wife put some israeli money in it. not a lot of money. >> but you have no idea at this point whether it's still there? >> absolutely no idea. it's very bad. >> reporter: he can only imagine what others have stored in those boxes for protection but he took his valuables out fe

tim fleischer, channel 7 eyewitness news. brutal beating death of a transgender woman in manhattan. 21-year-old isla nettles died after being punched in the face and hitting her head on the curb. while on the ground she was hit again repeatedly. her killer, 25-year-old james dixon was set to go on trial tomorrow. but today he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. dixon will be sentenced later this month. >>> the nypd is cracking down on illegal atvs and motorcycles. eyewitness news obtained this exclusive video of the vehicles on the streets of castle hill in the bronx earlier this month. the department will begin seizing these bikes and making an example of their riders, publically crushing the vehicles in what they're calling a crush-in. you can see atvs and motorcycles on the streets of many new york city neighborhoods this time of year. commissioner bratton says enough is enough. >> knucklehead, nitwits, clowns, whatever you want to call them. any of those descriptions is very appropriate. >> police have already begun seizing s

. >> eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer is in bridgeport with details for us. >> the arrest of this long-time healthcare professional and ems coordinator certainly is coming as a surprise in bridgeport. now there are shocking new details as to what police discovered. have arrested and accused 62-year-old barkinsky. >> 14 counts, 10 are for voyeurism, four counts of second degree sexual assault. >> reporter: barkinsky, who was an ems coordinator and teacher here at the bridgeport hospital school of nursing, came under investigation, city officials confirmed, after a victim claims barkinsky, while offering chiropractic treatment, secretly took pictures. >> the victims we're alleging are male nursing students at the bridgeport hospital school of nursing. >> reporter: one victim, city officials confirmed, had enrolled in barkinsky's class, and none of the victims were patients. hospital officials say barkinsky did not work in patient care areas, is no longer employed at the hospital, and they have no record that he provided treatment at the hospital. no one answered the door here at bar

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer in crown heights with more on this story. tim? >> reporter: and david, a one merchandising here in crown heights is closed and shuttered at this hour because of the jewish sabbath but the earlier today, the victim of this violent attack tells me that heard right here tells me he believes he was targeted. folly spritzer is busy transferring palettes of cleaning supplies from the sidewalk to his family's thursday afternoon when he says unexpectedly he was assaulted. >> the time to distract me and then just punched me. >> reporter: in video captured by the company's security camera. two young men thought to be teenagers are seen coming together on the sidewalk walking up the folly on the fork truck. >> asked me for the time which i pulled out my cell phone out of my pocket and told them the time. >> reporter: without warning -- >> as i started pulling away the other one reached in and just punched me in the face. >> reporter: he then jumps off the fork truck and wrestles one of the teenager to the ground. >> we'll wait for the police

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer with an exclusive look inside that lab. different races. these 13 individuals with the help of 3d facial recognition hopefully can come out of the shadows. >> we need to do everything we can to try to identify these people. >> reporter: for the first time, these victims, some of the coldest missing person cases, will be part of the city medical examiner's second missing persons day this saturday, a supportive event for family and friends of missing people. >> to give themselves the possibility of finding their long-term missing loved one and to get that closure that we know benefits families so very much. >> reporter: with the help of dna and other sophisticated testing in its labs, the medical examiner's office hopes to identify some 1200 people in its case files. blood relatives can give a dna swab which is then run through various national and local databases. >> to see if there's anything more that can possibly be done whether it's through the investigative side of things with law enforcement or through the scientific side of things. sa

tim fleischer is there with the exclusive report and our lead story. >> very painful. >> right here. very painful. >> reporter: having been shot in her right thigh, it is painful for santa guerrero to walk now. this crossing guard coming home wednesday night, the innocent victim of a shooting. >> they can't be shooting people like that. they could have killed someone. >> reporter: she was coming home from work. she just got off the bus here at gregory avenue at madison street across from christopher columbus park. the crack of four shots shattered the quiet of the night. one bullet pierced her thigh as she ran. police responded quickly and with the help of witnesses were able to arrest a 16-year-old on a bike a few blocks away. >> i don't know who fired the shots. i know there were three but i only saw two when the shots were fired. >> reporter: police say the alleged gunman was a 17-year-old arrested at his home in nearby clifton. >> teenagers. where are their parents? parents need to know where the kids are. >> reporter: and now santa says she cannot walk sophly in her neighborhood

reporting live in bridgeport, tim fleischer, channel 7 eyewitness news. >>> still to come on eyewitness news, what are you saying? new jersey transit expanding its surveillance of passengers. we'll tell you why they're now listening in. >> the baby watch continues for one of the mets star pitchers. the latest on jacob degrom's new bundle of joy. >> we're watching a bundle of showers over northern parts of new jersey. one little sprinkle moved across new york city. there's extended rain from hunterdon. we'll time at stop & shop, shoppers are discovering low prices by the thousands, plus a thousand more that just dropped. all these low prices! what are you trying to do, get me to feed the whole neighborhood? no. just trying to save you a whole lot of "bread." [ laughter ] thousands of blue tags, thousands of low prices. >>> some serious questions tonight about privacy and who exactly is listening to passengers on new jersey transit. this after the big commuter transportation agency is installing more video and audio surveillance systems on its train. it's supposed to help fight crime but

time fleischer has more. tim? >> reporter: shirleen, in this election season, minority voters find there are a number of issues that affect them and on this primary election day we have come to the polls to find which of the issues are important to the voters and which candidates speak to them. >> minority vote is very much feeling that a lot is at stake. >> reporter: as minority voters head to the polls in new york, they believe their vote carries more weight than in previous >> i want to make history with the 50 lady president. >> reporter: harry gave his vote to hillary clinton but reverend al sharpton sees another historical difference. >> this is the first time in american history that we are voting for a white to succeed a black president and we've never been there before in american history. so there is a lot on people's minds today. >> reporter: in harlem, mostly black and hispanic voters say that racial, employment, educational and financial issues are important. >> i feel that we need somebody for the pe

reporting live in bridgeport, tim fleischer, channel 7 eyewitness news. >>> we have learned that a serial robber on long island threatened a woman with a knife last night and got away with register in the business. he is suspected in 8 other robberies. >>> police combed the scene for clues outside the jefferson houses in east harlem where a 19-year-old was slashed after 10:30 last night. now, investigators say two men approached the victim, attacked him and ran off. the teen was taken to the hospital and expected to recover. >>> police announced the arrest of a/ing of a tourist in the subway last week. 24-year-old marvin taylor was taken into custody yesterday, accused of slashing a man from taylor is also charged with robbery, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. >>> a former pro football player gunned down on the street and the reason why remains a history. of it happened over the weekend, and now, questions about a possible link between the victim and the suspect. abc's elizabeth hur has more. stunned and saddened by the loss of former new orleans saints player will smith cont

reporting live in greenwood heights, tim fleischer. >> thank you, tim. >>> a couple was killed on long island after an alleged drunk driver t-boned their truck. they were pronounced dead at the hospital. police say they last night when their pickup truck was struck. the man -- police say he was speeding when he ran a red light and t-boned the victim's car. >>> police in westchester county -- 19-year-old stevenson is charged with second-degree murder. 18-year-old brandon lawrence and four friends parked at the boys and girls club sunday morning. when they got out the car, they got into an altercation with alder who pulled out a gun and lawrence was hit and killed. >>> two weeks left before the new york primarily. democratic clinton is back in new york supporting governor cuomo as he sign a bill to raise minimum wage to $15. they set a precedence that will quote, sweep the nation. secretary clinton says new york has shown the federal government how to get wage >>> what was accomplished here reflects our values and our priorities. it shows the world that kind of community we are. and what

reporting live in east new york tim fleischer channel 7 eyewitness news. >> thank you. >>> a 17-year-old homeless man has been charged tonight. police say that she was picked up by and taken into the homeless shelter instead of jail. the next day the body of the 18- year-old was found in that creek. the mother thanked police today and offered some advice. >> please tell them to take and to go home and hug your children. not once, but twice. >> reporter: police say that some of his things including their backpack were found in their position. >>> snapping a three-day losing today. the price per barrel is nearly back at the $4 mark. they climbed 35 points. nasdaq out by two and ending in five points. >>> when your championship was back when ronald reagan was president, well, row are entitled to celebrate hardy. that's what they did today big time lining the streets downtown philadelphia. the school band and the cheerleaders, all of them showered with the blue and white confetti as the wildcats won the ncaa tournament on monday night as you saw it here rob powers had that last shot. just am

tim fleischer is there with the exclusive report and our lead story. >> very painful. >> right here. very painful. >> reporter: having been shot in her right thigh, it is painful for santa guerrero to walk now. this crossing guard coming home wednesday night, the innocent victim of a shooting. >> they can't be shooting people like that. they could have killed someone.

eyewitness news reporter tim fleischer in the newsroom with the very latest. >> clearly the voting issues that occurred during yesterday's primary are causing continued concerns today. attorney general eric snyderman saying he's troubled by the number of complaints, enough so by most accounts voters were able to cast their ballots in high numbers, but the attorney general was deeply troubled by irregularities. the attorney general's hot line said they received nearly 1,000 complaints during the course of the voting day. they also received 140 e-mails. that, he says, compared to 150 complaints during the 2012 general election. many of the reports heard and complained about yesterday said they had been dropped from registration rolls, leaving some unable to vote. quote, we have opened an investigation in to alleged improprieties. if necessary, we will initiate requirements where voting irregularities appeared high. the attorney general will also be looking at other complaints, including a lack of privacy at the voting booth and poor instructions from poll workers. >>> we turn to the race fo