BRIEFLY : FINDING: SWAT TEAM JUSTIFIED IN KILLING.

VENTURA - Ventura SWAT team members were justified in fatally shooting a man who held his former girlfriend hostage before stabbing her to death last December, the District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

An investigation, held routinely after an officer-involved shooting, determined that police followed policy in shooting Ronald Sheehan, 43, who broke into the Wolverine Street home of Vicki Shade and held her at knifepoint for nine hours.

When SWAT team members stormed the house, Sheehan fatally stabbed Shade and tried to stab Sgt. Brian Roberts. Roberts and Officer Al Davis opened fire, killing Sheehan, who at the time, was free on bail for allegedly stalking Shade.

Shade's slaying prompted local judges to increase the bail schedule for certain violent crimes, including stalking.

- Daily News

Student panel raises $2,796 for Kosovo

OAK PARK - The student council at Red Oak Elementary School raised $2,796 during its recent campaign to help children in Kosovo.

The students in first-grade teacher Kathryn Dusek's class gave presentations about the war in Kosovo to their peers last week in an effort to raise awareness and to collect money from their schoolmates.

The donations were sent to the Save the Children charity organization on Monday.

- Daily News

Store clerk bound, robbed in Moorpark

MOORPARK - A clerk at a High Street cigarette store was tied up and robbed Sunday night by a group of men who entered the store brandishing a weapon.

The clerk, identified as Shagen Myrtchyan, 34, of Los Angeles, told police a lone man walked into the Cigarette Depot about 7:55 p.m., pointed a weapon at him and tied him up.

Ventura County sheriff's officials said when Myrtchyan was secure, several other men entered the store and took cigarettes and emptied the cash register.

A customer entered the store after they'd gone and untied Myrtchyan, who called police. Police said the victim was unable to provide descriptions of any of the robbers.

- Daily News