Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday blamed illegal handguns for a shooting that killed three people and wounded two police officers near the route of New York City's West Indian Day Parade.
Two gunmen were killed Monday along with a bystander, Denise Gay, 56, who was shot while sitting on a stoop with her daughter.
Bloomberg called Gay's death "another painful reminder I think of what happens when elected officials in Washington fail to take the problem of illegal guns seriously."
The parade was also marred by fatal shootings in 2003 and 2005. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the violence "unfortunate," but said ending the parade was unnecessary.
Storm's remnants drench sodden East
Heavy rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee rolled northeast, bringing threats of flooding, tornadoes and power outages.
At least four people died because of the rough winds and drenching rains. Flood watches and warnings were in effect from Alabama and Tennessee to Upstate New York areas still recovering from Tropical Storm Irene, the National Weather Service said.
Tornado watches covered much of the Carolinas. Lee also churned up heavy surf that sent tar balls of oil washing onto Alabama beaches.
Calif. shark-fin ban sent to Gov. Brown
California's Legislature sent Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown a bill seeking to ban the sale, trade or possession of shark fins, over the objections of some senators who called the measure racist because the fins are used in a soup considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures.
The bill has split the Asian delegation in the Legislature. Assemblyman Paul Fong and Sen. Carol Liu, both Democrats, said it is needed to protect endangered shark species. But Democratic Sen. Ted Lieu noted the bill would ban only part of the shark while permitting the consumption of shark skin or steaks.
Miami police chief suspended
Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito was suspended and could face removal following a long-running dispute with top city officials.
City Manager Johnny Martinez appointed an interim chief for the 1,100-officer Miami Police Department. The move means Exposito could be fired by the City Commission in days or weeks.
Martinez wrote in an e-mail to commissioners that Exposito refused to obey orders regarding reducing overtime and personnel moves. Exposito declined to comment, citing a gag order imposed by the city manager.
CDC: Fewer adults are smokers
Fewer U.S. adults are smoking and those who do are smoking fewer cigarettes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The report said 19.3% of adults said they smoked last year, down from about 21% in 2005. The rate for smoking 30 or more cigarettes daily dropped to about 8% from almost 13%. The decline means 3million fewer adults were smoking, the CDC said. Still, CDC Director Thomas Frieden said, the five-year drop was much slower than a drop seen over the previous 40 years.
Wanted: A few good vacation homes
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin asked owners of vacation homes in the state to allow them to be used by displaced Irene flood victims.
Shumlin, citing preliminary reports that about 700 homes were damaged or destroyed in the Aug. 28 flood, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency can't provide housing for most people who lost everything to flooding.
Also
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The family of Yale University graduate student Annie Le, found strangled in a research lab days before her wedding in 2009, sued the school claiming it had failed to adequately protect women on campus.
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