Nassau County police say four people were injured in a shooting Saturday night in Hempstead.

Police say it happened near the corner of Spencer Place and Jerusalem Avenue.

In video that News 12 Long Island obtained exclusively, a suspect can be seen shooting into a crowd of men standing on Spencer Place in Hempstead.

As they quickly take cover, the suspect then runs away.

In another video recording from a camera across the street, the suspect can be seen running toward Jerusalem Avenue.

The family who lives on Spencer Place who shared the video with News 12 Long Island said they were having a birthday party for their 4-year-old Saturday night when the shots rang out around 10:30 p.m.

Alex Chacon said one bullet grazed his leg.

"I just hear the noise and I run,” he recalled. He and three others went to the hospital for bullet wounds to the ear, hands and feet. One of them is seen in the video limping back to the house as another family member calls 911.

The question Chacon and his family want to know is, who would do this and why?

The Nassau County Gang Investigations Squad was on the scene well into the early Sunday morning looking for evidence and talking to witnesses.

Yovany Chacon said he was sitting in his car texting on his cellphone across the street when one of the bullets shattered his windshield.

Yovany Chacon added that he feels as if it was a miracle that his life was spared last night, but he too wants to know why someone would shoot at them.

"People got to be careful because there's crazy people in the street. A lot of weapons. You never know what's going to happen," Yovany Chacon said. "We have no problem with nobody right here."

Police say the suspect was still at large as of Sunday evening.

Anyone with any information on the shooting that can help police is asked to call Nassau County Crimestoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

A family who lives in the area told News 12 they were having a birthday party for their 4-year-old nephew when they heard gunshots.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: 4 men shot in Hempstead near 4-year-old’s birthday party

Storm Watch Team Meteorologist
Jacob Dolinger says Monday will start tame with some
sun and end with some rain. 

MONDAY: Staying dry to
start, ending with showers. Highs in the low 50s, lows in the upper 30s.&nbsp;

TUESDAY: Stray showers
to start. Clearing through the day. Highs near 50, lows in the 30s.&nbsp;

WEDNESDAY: Sunny. Highs
near 50, lows in the upper 30s.&nbsp;

THURSDAY:&nbsp; Sun
&amp; clouds. Highs in the upper 40s, lows in the 30s.&nbsp;

FRIDAY: Increasing
cloudiness. Rain chances return late. Highs around 50. Lows in the 40s.&nbsp;

SATURDAY: Cloudy &amp;
rainy. Mild. Highs in the 60s.&nbsp;

Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Jacob Dolinger says Monday will start tame with some sun and end with some rain.

Rainy night on Long Island Monday; stray showers on Tuesday

Suffolk County police say a woman was found dead inside a car in the water in Stony Brook.  

Officers responded to a call about a vehicle found in the water off Shore Road around 6:45 a.m., according to authorities.&nbsp;Police say the driver, 76-year-old Harriet Farish, was discovered deceased inside the 2020 Kia Telluride.

Authorities say homicide squad detectives are investigating the incident.

Detectives ask anyone with information to call the homicide squad at 631-852- 6392.

Details surrounding the death have not yet been released.

Suffolk police: Woman found dead inside car in water off Stony Brook’s Shore Road

Five bands performed Sunday at Amityville’s The Warehouse to fundraise for animal shelters across Long Island.

"Rockin’ for Rescues" was founded by Curt Arnel and his wife Bobbi in 2017.

“So far, [we] collected or donated over $20,000, not including today, for the purposes of donating the money to rescues who are always short of money,” he said.

On top of a cover charge, they raised money through 50/50 and raffles.

Attendee Elyse Jordan, of Baldwin, said her heart breaks for the many animals that are in need of a good home.

“There are so many homeless animals. There’s so many animals in our city shelters that are overcrowded and get euthanized, so they need all the rescue groups to help all the animals,” Jordan said.

Arnel’s goal was to raise up to $6,000 which he said goes a long way to help a number of dogs, cats and other animals.

“We’re trying to just make it a little bit better, one puppy at a time,” he added.

Shelters across the United States take in 6.3 million animals every year according to the ASPCA, while just over 4 million are adopted.

Event co-founder Curt Arnel’s goal was to raise up to $6,000 which he said goes a long way to help a number of dogs, cats and other animals.

'Rockin’ for Rescues' show fundraises for Long Island animal shelters

Students from across the Island are stepping back in time for the Long Island History Day competition at Hofstra University. 

Nearly 600 students from grades 6-12 from over 43 Long Island schools showcased their dazzling displays, documentaries and papers all relating to the theme, Frontiers in History. 

Ideas ranged from agriculture, medicine, technology, mental health, music and more.  

“It's very broad so the kids can pick a variety of topics,” said Long Island Region Committee Advisor and Judge Coordinator Susan Glaser.  

A panel of approximately 100 judges walked the floor at the college campus to try to decide who will be the top winners of this regional competition. 

Students say the experience was a fun way to develop research skills.  

"It definitely helped us a lot with being more confident speaking in public," said Reese Rinaldi of Huntington high school.  

The winners will go on to the state competition at SUNY Oneonta next month, and then onto nationals. 

The winners for the regional competition will be announced Tuesday. 

Nearly 600 students from grades 6-12 from over 43 Long Island schools showcased their dazzling displays, documentaries and papers all relating to the theme, Frontiers in History.

Hundreds of students compete in Long Island History Day at Hofstra University

The New York Islanders are hosting a <a href="https://www.nhl.com/islanders/community/isles-5k">Race to the Rink</a> event at UBS Arena today for a good cause.&nbsp;

Instead of hitting the ice, people are pounding the pavement in a 5K run to support the Islanders Children’s Foundation.&nbsp;

Runners are wearing blue and orange as they run along the paved route around the arena.&nbsp;

Participants also get to check out table vendors, and proceeds will help support Easterseals New York.

Instead of hitting the ice, people are pounding the pavement in a 5K run at UBS Arena to support the Islanders Children’s Foundation. 

Islanders host Race to the Rink 5K run at UBS Arena for Children’s Foundation

A special garden show in Wesbury is getting residents in the spirit of spring.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hicksnurseries.com/flower-garden-show-2023/">The Flower and Garden show at Hicks Nurseries</a> features 200 varieties of flowers in the 20,000-square-foot greenhouse.&nbsp;

Children can participate in the annual scavenger hunt and learn about flower gardens.

This year's theme is "A Novel Approach,” conveying the power of storytelling by nature.

It's open today from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.&nbsp;

The Flower and Garden show at Hicks Nurseries features 200 varieties of flowers in the 20,000-square-foot greenhouse. 

Get in the spirit of spring at Hicks Nurseries' Flower and Garden show 

A family who paid $1,800 for a headstone last May for their late father wants to know why it has not been installed at his burial place.

Nearly a year later, the headstone for FDNY firefighter William Hayes has yet to be made at the Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury. Hayes, also a Navy veteran, was buried there about a year and a half ago.

“You’re just standing there looking at grass,” says daughter Maureen McGhee. Her and sister Jeanne Eschmann's grief is compounded by frustration when they visit Hayes' burial site.

“He deserves for people to know he’s there and who he was. So it’s very disrespectful,” Echmann said.

Echmann and McGhee ordered the gravestone from Scheurer Monuments. Their calls to the company have gone mostly unanswered for months.

“He was very kind when we were going through the initial steps with him. But then all of a sudden, it’s like we were ghosted, no pun intended,” Echmann says.

McGhee tried as well. News 12 Long Island also tried on Saturday but got no answer at the office.

“This man was given more than a fair chance. We were reasonable. We understood about COVID, about supply chain issues,” McGhee says.

Both McGhee and Eschmann say they have waited long enough.

“At this point, I’d like our deposit back and I’d like to go somewhere else and work with professionals,” Echmann says.

“It’s just been a long haul... Let him rest in peace,” McGhee adds.

News 12 Long Island checked with the Better Business Bureau about Scheurer Monuments, which an F rating with five complaints in the last three years. Kevin Hanrahan is listed as the owner. News 12 Long Island also tried to call him at his home and there was no answer.

'Let him rest in peace.' Daughters of late FDNY firefighter say headstone maker is ignoring them

Runners hit the pavement Saturday morning in Calverton <a href="https://longisland.news12.com/run-to-honor-late-boy-scout-killed-while-hiking-with-troop-in-2018">in honor of a late Boy Scout from Wading River.</a>

Andrew's Top Gun Run 5K honors the life of 12-year-old Andrew McMorris, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he was hiking with Boy Scout Troop 161 in Manorville in September 2018.&nbsp;

Saturday marked what would have been Andrew’s 17th birthday.&nbsp;

“He was a kind and generous soul. He would always give to others. He literally would give the shirt off his back to others,” says Andrew’s father, John McMorris.&nbsp;

The run was held on a runway as a tribute to Andrew's love of flying.

His parents say though their son's dreams of becoming a pilot were cut short, his spirit of giving lives on in scholarships named in his memory.

The McMorris family says they are grateful for the show of support from so many in the community.

“When you lose a child or lose anyone, you feel forever broken, and by being put together by everyone here, it kind of holds us together,” says Alisa McMorris, Andrew's mother.&nbsp;

Andrew's grandparents gave each of the runners a race coin with the McMorris family slogan, "We finish what we started." The message helps spread awareness against drunk driving and celebrates Andrew's spirit.

The money raised at Saturday’s 5K will be split between the Andrew McMorris Foundation and the Suffolk County Boy Scouts of America.&nbsp;

Andrew's Top Gun Run 5K honors the life of 12-year-old Andrew McMorris, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he was hiking with Boy Scout Troop 161 in Manorville in September 2018. 

‘Kind and generous soul.’ Andrew’s Top Gun Run 5K honors Boy Scout killed by drunk driver

A group of dancers in Westbury hit the dance floor Saturday night to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.

“Dancing is awesome, but we have power, I think with any form of art, to make a difference,” said dancer Heather Lennon. She and other dancers performed before a sold-out theater at the Maguire Theater at SUNY Old Westbury.

Kim Leary, who founded Glen Dance Studio, said the money raised at the event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House Long Island.

“They’re houses and they are situated near hospitals, so when a family has a sick child and they need to be close to a hospital and you want to keep them all together,” Leary said.

She said that she has organized charity performances since she founded her studio for over two decades. She added that this was a performance she feels everyone benefited from.

“It’s doing a few things. They get to rehearse for competition, the parents get to see them dance and we’re helping some people in the course of all that,” Leary added.

Cathleen Annello was one of the younger dancers in the company. She hopes her performance will provide a lift to someone in need on Long Island.

“I’m helping, but I'm also doing what I love -- dance,” she enthused.

The dancers performed a number of routines, but each dancer had a favorite, including Luciana Gianola.

“I love jazz because I’m very animated and love using my face for my emotions,” she explained.

Dan Friedlin, who has never missed a performance his daughter was in, made sure he made it to the sold-out show. He said he has seen his daugther perform between 30 and 40 times in the last 10 years and added that he feels pride and joy every time he sees her dancing on stage.

If you would like to make a donation to the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park, follow this <a href="https://www.rmhcnym.org/donate/">link</a>.

Dancers performed before a sold-out theater at the Maguire Theater at SUNY Old Westbury.

Dancers perform for Westbury fundraiser benefitting the Ronald McDonald House

The Town of Oyster Bay hosted the annual “Freezin for a Reason” polar plunge to raise money for New York’s Special Olympics program.

More than 600 brave Long Islanders ran into the frigid waters at Tobay Beach for the cause.&nbsp;

All proceeds from the polar plunge will help provide year-round training in over 22 Olympic sports for disabled children and adults.

“It costs about $400 to sponsor one athlete for one sports season, so we're hoping to raise enough money to sponsor 250 local athletes today,” says Rebecca Hoffmann, of Special Olympics New York.&nbsp;

The Brentwood Plungers team, which is made up of Special Olympic coaches for the Brentwood School District, have been taking part for 14 years.

“We love the kids, we really truly love them. If you ever have the opportunity to volunteer in the Special Olympics, you will feel it in your heart,” says Gloria DeBernardo, of Massapequa.&nbsp;

Saturday’s event raised $126,000 for Special Olympics New York athletes.

Anyone who would like to make a donation can do so on the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fevents.nyso.org%2Fsite%2FDonation2%3Bjsessionid%3D00000000.app20005b%3Fidb%3D2127547695%26df_id%3D3880%263880.donation%3Dform1%26FR_ID%3D2791%26mfc_pref%3DT%26PROXY_ID%3D2791%26PROXY_TYPE%3D21%26NONCE_TOKEN%3DF2C1DED541DC3694E1151359F9A335B1&amp;data=05%7C01%7CAlyssa.Roth%40news12.com%7Cc20eefb721bd42bab21008db2d74c31d%7Ccf535dc073fc41eaa17417f37ced7fe7%7C0%7C0%7C638153751729387477%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=L%2BeBOmoFtytrZMl0spuwbr%2FngQacN%2BjXnuTPyXYeDu0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Special Olympics New York website.</a>

More than 600 brave Long Islanders ran into the frigid waters at Tobay Beach for the cause.

‘Freezin for a Reason’ polar plunge event raises money for New York’s Special Olympics program

Police say a Bellmore-Merrick Fire Department Ambulance was involved in a crash early Saturday morning. 

Few details about the incident have been released. However, authorities say it occurred just after midnight in Bellmore and involved both the ambulance and a Subaru. 

Police say the accident resulted in four minor injuries. It is currently unclear if the injured were originally in the car or the ambulance. 

Authorities say the cause of the crash is currently under investigation. 

Few details about the incident have been released. However, authorities say it occurred just after midnight in Bellmore and involved both the ambulance and a Subaru.

Police: Bellmore-Merrick Fire Department Ambulance involved in early morning crash

New doorbell video has been released of a car driving through a garage and hitting a parked car in Babylon. 

The video shows the driver run through a stop sign and hit a car in the driveway, before&nbsp;going through the garage. &nbsp;

Police believe the driver suffered a medical emergency.&nbsp;

The driver was able to walk but was taken to the hospital.&nbsp;

The homeowner's girlfriend was inside the home at the time and&nbsp;says she&nbsp;heard the crash. 

“He's lucky he didn't hit that pole or he's lucky nobody was in there,”&nbsp;says homeowner Rich Bruckner.&nbsp;“He could've hit a car if there was a car coming down that road. He's lucky he's didn't hit anything else and just went straight through.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

The homeowner says they are&nbsp;happy that no one got hurt, but there is a long cleanup process ahead.

The homeowner had just moved in in December and had furniture in the garage that now needs to be replaced. The crash took out a load bearing wall and the homeowner says the building inspectors said they could see the floor sloping down.

Crews are working to board up the home, but cleanup is expected to continue into the weekend.&nbsp;

The driver was walking after the crash but was taken to the hospital.

Driver plows through garage and into parked car in Babylon

Family, Residences, and Essential Enterprises, or F.R.E.E, realized&nbsp;it was&nbsp;overwhelmed trying to secure grocery deliveries, household supplies and other essential items for those in need at the beginning of the pandemic. In response, the organization started its own delivery service called Free Pod. &nbsp;

John Gallagher,&nbsp;the senior director of community services,&nbsp;says the number of programs they are helping changes every day, but it's somewhere between 90 and 100 programs, including group homes, respites and day programs. “It's something that you know developed from this tiny little idea to what it is now,”&nbsp;says Gallagher.&nbsp;“Which is basically in-house delivery business.”

The organization also offers opportunity for a group of people who are ready, willing and able.&nbsp;&nbsp; “If you're just at home like I am sometimes you can go crazy you know what I mean not insane, but you could just be like OK what am I gonna do with myself here you know what I mean,”&nbsp;says volunteer Kevin Lane.&nbsp;“But being here with my friends and everything it's like hey why not be with your friends?”

The program has about 50 volunteers packing supplies and making deliveries.

“It's something that you know developed from this tiny little idea to what it is now,” says Gallagher. “Which is basically in-house delivery business.”

Free Pod organization continues to offer assistance and volunteer positions post-pandemic 

Police announced the identity of the driver they say intentionally injured an officer during a crash in Lindenhurst.&nbsp;

Police say&nbsp;Christian Castillo&nbsp;rammed into multiple police cars and&nbsp;an&nbsp;officer who was on foot earlier in March.&nbsp;

The 20-year-old then fled the scene, according to police.&nbsp;

Police are now asking for the&nbsp;public's&nbsp;help to find him.&nbsp;

The officer suffered&nbsp;injuries not considered life-threatening.&nbsp;

A reward of up to $5,000 is now being offered for information that leads to an arrest.&nbsp;

Police say Christian Castillo rammed into multiple police cars and an officer who was on foot earlier in March. 

Police announce identity of man wanted in Lindenhurst crash that injured an officer  

A new report&nbsp;from&nbsp;the Anti-Defamation League counted nearly 3,700 antisemitic incidents throughout the U.S. in 2022.&nbsp;

It's&nbsp;a 36% rise from the year before and the highest level recorded by the ADL since 1979.&nbsp;

“New York had the highest total antisemitic incidents in the country with 580, and Long Island reflects that trend,”&nbsp;says Etzion Neuer of the Anti-Defamation League.&nbsp;“We're troubled that there was an 10% increase in Long Island.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in&nbsp;Glen Cove&nbsp;has been targeted with antisemitic graffiti several times in the past year.&nbsp;

“It's horrifying, especially for our beloved Holocaust survivors who we treasure,”&nbsp;says Dana Arschin of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center.&nbsp;

The ADL counted 69 antisemitic incidents on Long Island in 2021. That number increased to 76 in 2022. &nbsp;

The climate of hate prompted Rabbi Yakov Saacks of the Chai Center in Dix Hills to ramp up security.&nbsp;

“All doors are locked, all windows are&nbsp;bulletproof, guards on a rotating basis,”&nbsp;says&nbsp;Saacks.&nbsp;“We have around 30 cameras watching the place, we have license plate cameras can capture that.”&nbsp;

Arschin says the key to fighting hate is through education. &nbsp;

“People who are creating these symbols on our property or spreading hate and lies on social media they just are uneducated,”&nbsp;says Arschin.&nbsp;“So, we invite them here to the museum. We want to show them that it doesn't matter what your skin color is, what your race is, what your religion is, we're all just human beings.”

The ADL counted 69 antisemitic incidents on Long Island in 2021. That number increased to 76 in 2022. 

Anti-Defamation League report shows increase in antisemitic incidents on Long Island 

Long Island is joining a state and national network to protect law enforcement.

The Blue Alert System will be implemented to help apprehend those who harm police officers.

The system is modeled after the National Blue Alert Act following the murders of NYPD Detectives Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu while sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn in 2014.

When the alert is activated, the public will be asked to call 911 if they have information.

There are currently&nbsp;two&nbsp;other similar systems in place -- the Amber Alert for missing children and Silver Alert for missing vulnerable adults.&nbsp;

LI implements Blue Alert System to protect law enforcement

Nassau&nbsp;police&nbsp;says three&nbsp;separate crimes happened inside&nbsp;or near Roosevelt Field&nbsp;mall&nbsp;over three days.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Two cars were stolen&nbsp;Sunday from the west parking lot of the mall, police say.&nbsp;The&nbsp;2023 GMC models combined are worth over $152,000. No arrests have been made.

“I am glad I wasn't there that day,”&nbsp;says Shjuan Grant, of Hempstead.&nbsp;“Because I just bought a vehicle last year, and I was told they have been doing a lot of&nbsp;carjackings&nbsp;around here.”

Police say officers&nbsp;on a routine patrol on Ring Road West&nbsp;Monday conducted a traffic stop and saw stolen merchandise with tags in the car.&nbsp;The three men in that car were arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Tuesday, police say five people walked into the&nbsp;mall&nbsp;and went into Ethan Jordan Jewelers.&nbsp;They say&nbsp;part of the group distracted the sales clerk&nbsp;while&nbsp;two of the women stole over $136,000 items from the displays.&nbsp;&nbsp; News 12 reached out to the mall for comment and&nbsp;has&nbsp;not yet heard back.

Anyone with&nbsp;information on any of these crimes&nbsp;is&nbsp;asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244 (TIPS).

Two cars were stolen Sunday from the west parking lot of the mall, police say.

Nassau police report 3 crimes at or near Roosevelt Field mall

Town of Islip officials cut the ribbon for&nbsp;a&nbsp;$1.25 million skate park at Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood.&nbsp;

The skate park is the only one in the town and the latest addition to Robert Clemente after receiving $13 million in improvements in recent years.&nbsp;

“I think it’s a pretty cool park, you know,”&nbsp;says Alicia Baggiera, of Bay Shore.&nbsp;“A lot of like low packed beginners stuff is very inviting and easy and inclusive for people who are getting into skateboarding.”&nbsp;

Nearly 10 years ago, the park was a dumping site for roughly 40,000 tons of waste.&nbsp;

The skate park is the only one in the town and the latest addition to Robert Clemente after receiving $13 million in improvements in recent years.

New skate park opens at Robert Clemente Park in Brentwood

Celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the iconic Long Island Wine Country are getting underway Friday, with dozens of deals exclusively for Long Island residents.&nbsp;

Locals Week starts Friday and runs through April 2, with deals on drinks, tours, tastings and more as part of a yearlong celebration of winemaking on Long Island.

Sannino Vineyards in Riverhead is among those getting in on the celebration — offering a 50% discount on tasting flights for Long Islanders.

To be part of Locals Week, all you have to do is visit a participating winery and show your license. <a href="https://liwines.com/liwc-locals/">There are 27 wineries to choose from that are participating in Locals Week.</a>