The murder and attempted murder suspect accused of slamming a U-Haul truck into a pedestrian, an officer and bicycle, e-bike and moped riders in Brooklyn Monday allegedly told police he witnessed an “invisible object” careening toward his vehicle before taking off on the deadly rampage. 

Weng Sor, a 62-year-old Asian male, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and eight counts of attempted murder in connection to the path of destruction that began Monday morning in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said at a press conference Tuesday. 

It continued for more than an hour into Dyker Heights, back into Bay Ridge and eventually ended when NYPD emergency services and highway patrol units stopped the U-Haul by the entrance to Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, which leads to Manhattan, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell added Tuesday. 

“Based on interviews with his family members and confirmed when interrogated by members of the New York City detective bureau, we believe Mr. Sor was suffering from a mental health crisis,” Essig told reporters. “At this time, there is no nexus to terrorism.” 

NYC U-HAUL RAMPAGE SUSPECT WITH VIOLENT PAST AWAITS CHARGES IN ATTACK THAT KILLED 1, INJURED 8 OTHERS

“He states when he’s driving his van, he sees an invisible object come toward the car and at that point he says, ‘I’ve had enough,’ and he goes on his rampage,” Essig explained. “There was no object – he says, ‘an invisible object came toward my car, and I’ve had enough.’ That was his quote.”

“He does say to the police when he was arrested, ‘you should have shot me,'” Essig added. 

Family confirmed to police that Sor was off his medication. 

Sor had nine prior arrests stretching back to 2002 for offenses that included a DWI, evading a police officer, battery, resisting arrest, domestic battery and two incidents of battery with a deadly weapon all in Las Vegas, where he resided with his mother, Essig said. 

The suspect was estranged from his ex-wife and 30-year-old son before he showed up suddenly at their Brooklyn home last week. 

Investigators say Sor left Las Vegas for West Palm Beach, Florida, where he rented the U-Haul on Feb. 1. The vehicle wasn’t due back until March 3. Based on ATM withdrawals, Sor is known to have been in West Palm Beach until Feb. 4 before departing on a road trip toward New York. 

Weng Sor was escorted from a Brooklyn precinct Feb. 14, 2023, a day after allegedly killing one and injuring eight others in a rented U-Haul truck.  (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

His most recent arrest was on Feb. 5 for reckless driving and possession of marijuana in South Carolina, where he was stopped by highway patrol. Sor showed up Feb. 6 at his ex-wife and son’s Brooklyn home to shower and returned on Feb. 8, when he got into an altercation with his son, Essig said.

NYPD highway patrol stopped Sor on the Belt Parkway and issued him a summons for speeding and operating a commercial vehicle on that roadway. The U-Haul was placed In Melbourne, New Jersey, on Sunday evening before Sor returned to Brooklyn, where he launched his deadly rampage the next day. 

The nine victims included eight civilians – three on a bike, three on a moped and one on e-bike and one walking – who were all male and ranged from age 30 to 66, and one police officer, who suffered a leg injury when the suspect allegedly rammed the U-Haul into an NYPD patrol car. 

Members of the NYPD bomb squad examine a rental truck that was stopped and the driver arrested, Feb. 13, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Police said the first victim was struck at 10:20 a.m., and the suspect wasn’t taken into custody until 11:24 a.m. 

NYPD released dramatic police camera footage showing officers ushering children playing on a nearby street during recess inside the school. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, inside,” an officer says, running toward the children. “Guys, get off the street, let’s go! Get off the street, everybody off the street.” School staff are seen helping to usher the children indoors. 

“This is Neighborhood Policing and your officer’s actions further exemplify the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to protecting the communities we serve,” NYPD tweeted, sharing the video.  

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N.Y. Daily News identified the only person killed in the attack as 44-year-old YiJie Ye, a single father of three teenagers who emigrated from China roughly two decades ago and was working as a GrubHub delivery driver. NYPD said he was struck on his moped and later succumbed to his injuries. 

Another man remains in critical but stable condition after the attack, Essig said Tuesday. New York City Councilman Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, identified him as Zakaria “Zaki” Salah Rakchi, a married father of two who was on his way to get his taxes done when the U-Haul mowed him down. 

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slightly edges out former President Donald Trump as the preferred leader of the GOP, according to Republicans questioned in a new national poll.

An Associated Press/NORC Center poll released on Tuesday indicates that 22% of Republicans said they want DeSantis to be the leader of the party, with 20% saying the same thing of Trump.

But more than a third of those questioned — 34% — said they didn’t know who should lead the GOP or declined to answer.

TRUMP TOPS DESANTIS IN FRESH 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION POLL

No other Republican sampled in the survey topped 1%, including former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who on Tuesday became the second major Republican following Trump to launch a 2024 GOP presidential campaign.

TRUMP’S IN, SO IS HALEY – HOW LARGE WILL THE GOP 2024 FIELD GROW?

Trump remains the most popular and influential politician in the GOP, but the first three months of his third White House run have been bumpy for the former president’s campaign.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Columbia, S.C.  (AP)

While the former president was once the overall front-runner in the early 2024 GOP nomination polls, DeSantis has eclipsed him in some surveys over the past few months. Nearly every poll indicates Trump and DeSantis as the favorites, with everyone else in the single digits.

HALEY’S ANNOUNCEMENT MAY OPEN FLOOD GATES IN 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RACE

DeSantis, a former congressman, saw his popularity soar among conservatives across the country the past three years, courtesy of his forceful pushback against coronavirus pandemic restrictions and his aggressive actions as a conservative culture warrior, going after media and corporations. And the Florida governor’s nearly 20-point re-election victory helped transform the one-time swing-state battleground into a red state.

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis after taking the oath of office waves to those in attendance at his second term inauguration in Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. January 3, 2023. (REUTERS/Octavio Jones)

DeSantis routinely dismisses talk of a 2024 White House run, but he’s dropped plenty of hints of a possible presidential bid since his re-election victory speech in November. Sources in DeSantis’ wider orbit say any presidential campaign launch would come in the late spring or early summer, after the end of Florida’s current legislative session. 

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The new poll indicates that 19% of Republicans view Trump as the current leader of the party, with 10% saying it’s Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 9% naming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The AP-NORC poll was conducted from Jan. 26 to Jan. 30 with 1,068 adults and had a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

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The New Year is a great time to ensure that all your devices are operating on the most up-to-date software and that your privacy is being protected. 

With all this in mind, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with these top priorities. 

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WINDOWS

How to keep your Windows devices up-to-date 

• Select Start
• Click Settings
• Click Windows Update
• Click Check for Updates.

HOW TO AVOID BEING DUPED BY ROBOCALLS NOW AND FOREVER

If a feature update is available for your device, it will appear separately on the Windows update page. 

To install it, click Download and install now.

You can also set your Windows to automatically update… But should you? 

If you’re an individual who never remembers to update your computer, you may choose to set this option. However, sometimes automatic updates don’t play nicely with old programs. So if you do decide to set this feature, be sure to back up your devices so you can restore if anything goes wrong. 

To learn more about how to back up your PC, head over to my CyberGuy.com website and search “back up your Windows” by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.

MAC 

Update your Macbook with iOS.
(CyberGuy.com)

How to keep your Mac devices up-to-date 

• Click The Apple menu
• Click System Preferences
• Click Software Update.

GOOGLE CHROME’S ‘INCOGNITO’ MODE MIGHT NOT KEEP YOU SO HIDDEN

If a software update is available, it will give you the option to update. You can do this by clicking the Upgrade Now button. 

A word of caution: Often new operating systems offer new slicker interfaces and functionality. If you have older programs on your computer, sometimes newer operating systems don’t always play nice with older programs. That said, when it comes to installing new operating systems be sure to always back up your computer just in case. 

To learn more about how to back up your Mac, head over to my CyberGuy.com website and search “back up your Mac” by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.

You can also set your Mac to automatically download any relevant updates by… But should you? 

If you’re an individual who never remembers to update your computer, you may choose to set this option. But as mentioned above, sometimes automatic updates don’t play nicely with old programs. So if you do decide to set this feature, be sure to always back up your devices.

Again, to learn more about how to back up your Mac, head over to my CyberGuy.com website and search “back up your Mac” by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.

How to keep your Mac automatically updated:

• Click The Apple menu
• Click System Preferences
• Click Software Update
• In the window you see below, check off Automatically keep my Mac up to date
• Click Advanced

Mac software provides updates often with Ventura.
(CyberGuy.com)

• Check off all relevant services you wish to enable.

How to update your Mac software.
(CyberGuy.com)

APPLE TO RAISE BATTERY SERVICE FEES FOR OUT-OF-WARRANTY DEVICES

ANDROID

Keep your Android phone updated.
(CyberGuy.com)

How to make sure your Android phone and tablets are up-to-date:

• Please note settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
• Tap Settings
• Near the bottom, tap System
• Then, tap System Update
• You’ll be shown if there are any updates available and will be given the option of whether to update or not.

iOS DEVICES 

Update your iPhone with iOS.
(Cyberguy.com)

How to make sure your iPhone and iPads are up-to-date:

• Tap on Settings
• Tap on General
• Tap on Software Update
• If an update is available, it will give you the option to download and install
• To keep your phone always up to date, you can turn on automatic updates by:
• On the Software Update screen mentioned above, click the Automatic Updates row
• Switching on all relevant services you wish to keep updated automatically.

How to update your devices on iOS.
(CyberGuy.com)

A word of caution: Always back up your phone just in case.

To learn more about how to back up and restore your mobile device, head over to my CyberGuy.com website and search “back up your mobile device” by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.

MOST CREEPY IPHONE SETTING NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED

BROWSER UPDATES 

After you update your software, it’s also a good idea to ensure your web browser is up-to-date to fix any security issues which would help prevent hackers from getting into your computer, crashing programs and getting around your computer’s security systems. While there are many browsers out there, below are a few of the more popular ones. 

• How to update your Chrome browser
• Mac 
• Open Google Chrome browser
• Select About Chrome from the Chrome menu
• Allow it to scan from a most recent update
• Click Relaunch to complete the update
• Windows 
• Open Chrome browser
• At the top right, click More 
• Click Help, then About Google Chrome
• Select Update Google Chrome Note: If you do not see the “Update Google Chrome” button, then your browser is already updated.

Click Relaunch to complete 

• Android 
• From your phone or tablet, open the Google Play Store app
• Tap the profile icon from the top right
• Select Manage apps & device
• Find Chrome located under “Updates available“
• Tap Update.

iPhone & iPad 

• Launch Apple App Store
• Tap Profile from the top right (it looks like you or a shape of a person)
• Scroll down to “Available Updates” and search for Chrome
• If you see Chrome on the list, tap Update
• Enter your passcode or Apple ID password if prompted
• Chrome will automatically update when finished downloading.

5 NEW APPLE PRODUCTS POSSIBLY COMING IN 2023

How to update your Safari browser on a Mac

Safari is a built-in App on all Apple products and will automatically update alongside your device’s software. 

How to update your Microsoft Edge browser 

• On Windows 
• Microsoft Edge is programmed to update automatically every time you restart your browser. You can however, update Microsoft Edge manually:
• Open the Microsoft Edge browser
• Click Settings and More
• Click Help and Feedback
• Click About Microsoft Edge

Here, it will tell you whether Microsoft Edge is up-to-date or if an update is available. If an update is available: 

• Click Download and Install
• Click Restart

On Mac

• At Menu at top, click Microsoft Edge
• Then click About Microsoft Edge 
• Any available updates will be displayed.

TOP 8 ABSOLUTE BEST WINTER GLOVES THAT WORK ON YOUR TOUCH SCREENS

Microsoft Edge updates.
(CyberGuy.com)

Microsoft Edge is also available to download on iPhones, iPads, and Androids. To make sure it is up-to-date, follow the same steps above to update Microsoft Edge as you would to update Chrome on those devices.

Be sure you’ve installed reliable antivirus software 

While most devices come with free antivirus software installed, none of them are as effective at protecting your devices or preventing them from being infected with malware as they could be. 

Go here to learn more about tech and software updates.
(CyberGuy.com)

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It is important to make sure you have a reliable antivirus program installed and running on your devices. See my expert review of the best antivirus protection for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices by searching ‘Best Antivirus’ at CyberGuy.com by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.

Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.

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New research presented by neuroscientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found young adolescents who habitually checked social media showed a distinct neurodevelopmental trajectory within the brain.

Their sensitivity toward social rewards and punishments from peers heightened over time in comparison with those who engaged in moderate or low checking behaviors. 

The three-year study of 169 sixth- and seventh-grade students from three public middle schools in rural North Carolina was published Tuesday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

The authors used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from recruits who were between the ages of 12 and 15. 

HOW TO AVOID BEING DUPED BY ROBOCALLS NOW AND FOREVER

The participants reported the frequency at which they checked Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat just once at the beginning of the study and were split into groups according to how often they checked those feeds.

Their answers ranged from less than once to more than 20 times a day.

Subjects received full brain scans as they played a computerized game that delivered rewards and punishment in the form of smiling or scowling peers.

At around the age of 12, during what the authors pointed out was a critical developmental period, habitual users already showed lower sensitivity to social anticipation.

“The results of this cohort study suggest that social media checking behaviors in early adolescence may be associated with changes in the brain’s sensitivity to social rewards and punishments. Further research examining long-term associations between social media use, adolescent neural development and psychological adjustment is needed to understand the effects of a ubiquitous influence on development for today’s adolescents,” the study said.

In this photo illustration, the logos of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are displayed on a smartphone screen March 14, 2022, in Glastonbury, England. 
(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

However, there were some limitations to the study. Since differences in neural trajectories already existed between participants with habitual and nonhabitual checking behaviors at the start of the study, it was difficult to determine whether social media use prior to data collection caused these distinct neural trajectories or if preexisting differences in neural activation placed some youth at risk for more habitual checking behaviors. 

GOOGLE CHROME’S ‘INCOGNITO’ MODE MIGHT NOT KEEP YOU SO HIDDEN

“We can’t make causal claims that social media is changing the brain,” Eva Telzer, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and one of the authors of the study, told The New York Times.

In this photo illustration, a mobile phone screen displays the Snapchat logo in front of a keyboard in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 24, 2020. 
(Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

However, she explained that “teens who are habitually checking their social media are showing these pretty dramatic changes in the way their brains are responding, which could potentially have long-term consequences well into adulthood, sort of setting the stage for brain development over time.”

That includes hypersensitivity to feedback from peers. 

The Times notes that the findings do not capture the magnitude of the brain changes — just their trajectory — and that authors said it remains unclear whether the changes are beneficial or harmful. 

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“This is the new norm,” Telzer added. “Understanding how this new digital world is influencing teens is important. It may be associated with changes in the brain, but that may be for good or for bad. We don’t necessarily know the long-term implications yet.”

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