Hezbollah: We sent drone over Israel

Hezbollah leader: We sent the drone into Israel, and Iran made it Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah: The drone flew over "sensitive sites" Expert: Hezbollah has been doing this for years; the drone has 'rinky-dink' technology (CNN) -- The leader of the Shia militant movement Hezbollah in Lebanon said his group is responsible for launching a drone into Israel last week, and Iranians made the drone. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on the movement's television channel that the drone flew over "sensitive sites" in Israel. "This drone is not Russian made, this drone was an Iranian made," he said. The drone "was assembled by the specialized Hezbollah team. The Lebanese should be proud of that." Israel eyes Lebanon after drone downed The Israeli air force shot down the unmanned device Saturday over the northern Negev desert, the Israeli Defense Forces said. The drone, which was hovering over Gaza and had entered Israeli airspace, wasn't carrying weapons or explosives, military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said. Nasrallah boasted that it wasn't the first time Hezbollah has sent aerial drones over Israel. He said the group can do it "whenever we want" inside "occupied Palestine." "This mission was not the first one," he said, "and will not be the last one, God willing." Asked about Nasrallah's speech and his bold statement, a senior Israeli official who did not have permission to speak publicly on the subject said: "His statement is not worth commenting on." Hezbollah has been flying drones over Israel for years, said Micah Zenko of the Council on Foreign Relations, who specializes in drone technology proliferation and the Middle East. "That it happened again is absolutely insignificant," he said. He described Nasrallah's comments as blustering and largely empty. "Israel usually tracks these drones as they come across the border and often doesn't bother to shoot them down," Zenko said. "They just want to see what Hezbollah thinks it can do." Drones like the one shot down on Saturday cannot even be piloted until someone has "line control" of the device, or is at least within 50 kilometers of it, he said. "To call them rinky-dink would be polite," he said. "The drones that Iranians display at airshows or that they tout for sale, defense industry press people describe them as crude." These drones don't have "heart points," or brackets, on which ammunition can be fixed, Zenko said, but they do have the ability to conduct surveillance. It's unclear if the Iranians have drones that can do surveillance in real time, he added. Nasrallah said the goal of the drone was to "show ... capabilities or some of them at the right time, and send the messages at the right time." Opinion: U.S. drone monopoly gone

Palin-nice or Ryan-tough: How Biden may shift tactics

Vice president Joe Biden, left, preps for a debate again Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. Biden in 2008 wasn't sure how to approach Palin; in 2012 he's freer to throw jabs at Ryan A good debate performance could reverse negative headlines after the presidential debate Campaign official: "The vice president has never been shy about contrast" Tune to CNN for Thursday's vice presidential debate coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET on CNN TV, CNN.com and via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Web users can become video editors with a new clip-and-share feature that allows them to share favorite debate moments on Facebook and Twitter. Danville, Kentucky (CNN) -- In the fall of 2008, as Sen. Joe Biden pondered the delicate task of debating Gov. Sarah Palin, his debate team honchos circulated an internal preparation memo. The first sentence: "No candidate for president or vice president in the history of the country has had more advice on what to say than Sen. Biden has on his debate with Sarah Palin." Biden's then chief of staff Ted Kaufman, who's been friends with Biden for 40 years and was a part of that debate prep, recalled the line to CNN. "And it's absolutely true," Kaufman said of Palin, then the governor of Alaska and a popular yet polarizing politician mostly unknown on the national stage. "Everybody had an idea about how to deal with Sarah Palin. And I think most of it wasn't the issues. It was more of just how do you deal with her because she is so unique. "Most people felt it was just different and difficult to debate her." O'Donnell: Biden 'has to get on offense' Axelrod: Biden looking forward to debate What to expect in the Biden-Ryan debate On Thursday in Danville, Kentucky, Biden's debate team will have no such worries. King: VP debate no game-changer, but could shift momentum In the first and only face-off between the vice president and the congressman who wants his job -- Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan -- advisers say Biden will be free to do what he does best: draw sharp contrasts and, perhaps, throw sharp elbows against a well-known conservative star. A successful performance by Biden could reverse negative headlines and chatter aimed at the Obama campaign following the first debate between the president and challenger Mitt Romney. It could also provide an Aha! moment for Biden supporters who have long argued the vice president's usefulness on the ticket and temporarily silence critics who key in on his gaffes. Biden's effectiveness in recent visits to Republican battlegrounds -- a clear attempt to pick off conservative votes -- could also prove his political worth. Yet both tasks are risky. Experts agree that Biden is notably disciplined in high-stakes debates and his appeal can keep the race close in some traditional red states and red counties of swing states. But others note that missteps could cut deep. "Normally with Biden, by his reputation, whenever he has a high-profile speaking engagement he has to tone it down. Because he has this reputation for gaffes," said Eitan Hersh, an assistant professor of political science at Yale University and an expert on campaign strategy. "And here, he can't really do that because he needs to be really motivated and enthusiastic and the opposite of lethargic." CNN Exclusive: 'I'm not intimidated,' Ryan says "It's not like the Sarah Palin situation. There you had the age and experience gap plus the male-female," said Alan Schroeder, a professor at Northeastern University. "I think having two men on the stage does liberate Biden a lot compared to 2008. But anytime you go up against someone who is junior to you, in age and experience, you have to be careful not to condescend." What to expect in the Biden-Ryan debate What to expect in the Biden-Ryan debate Pressure on Biden and Ryan in debate After a widely panned performance by President Obama in his first debate with Romney, many Democratic supporters, journalists and even Republicans will watch to see how much Biden goes on the attack to make up for the president's admitted missed opportunity. "Biden has a lot more pressure on him now than if, in fact, President Obama had even done a decent job," said Paula McClain, dean of Duke University's graduate school and a professor of political science. "I don't think anyone can argue that [Obama] blew a tremendous opportunity." "He cannot duplicate that," echoed Lynn Vavreck, an associate political science professor at UCLA and co-author of the book, "The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election." His advisers explained Biden's goal -- and opportunity. "The vice president has never been shy about contrast," a campaign official said. "And he's never been shy about laying out...two fundamentally different visions for this country. He and the president are moving the country forward. He and the president believe that the Romney-Ryan agenda would bring us back to the failed policies that [hurt] our economy." Helping Biden sharpen the contrasts in debate camp over the last few days in Wilmington, Delaware, are Kaufman; Ron Klain, another former chief of staff to Biden; Obama campaign senior adviser David Axelrod; and long-time adviser Mike Donilon, among others. "He's been watching recent interview and speech footage of Ryan," the campaign official said. "He's talking to policy specialists about different topics. "These guys are both good debaters," the official said. "They're both experienced guys. Paul Ryan's been the face of Republican policies for a long time. And the Ryan budget is the congressional blueprint for moving forward. For six years he's been the top Republican on the budget committee and his grasp for policy is second to none. "Ryan's in a little bit of a box. Will he stand by the extreme positions that he and Romney hold? Or does he deny them and sort of deny their existence as Romney did the other night?" Five things to watch for in VP debate Kaufman echoed the sentiment. "One of the hard things about preparing for a debate with Congressman Ryan is that you just don't know what positions he's going to take," Kaufman said. "You've got to prepare for two or three different Ryans based on which Ryan, you know, shows up." Since last week's debate, Democrats have cast Romney as a political chameleon attempting to change from red conservative to purple moderate. But Romney and his supporters have beat back those notions. Regarding the debate, Romney told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in a Tuesday interview: "I think President Obama and I both had a good chance to describe our respective views as to how we'd do a better job. And I, frankly, think I benefited from the fact that rather than having people learn about me from ads prepared by my opposition, they got to actually hear what I would do from myself. And I think that helped me." Meanwhile, some Republicans have turned the arrows toward the vice president. Two of them occupy a special place in Biden political lore. Christine O'Donnell tried to unseat Biden in 2008 before she waged a widely watched 2010 Senate race in Delaware in which she famously declared, "I'm not a witch." By the time of the general election, Obama had picked Biden as his running mate. As Biden ran for vice president he also ran for re-election to the Senate. Once Biden elevated to the White House, ending his 36-year Senate career, Kaufman was picked to fill out the rest of Biden's term. Biden to stump in Ryan's backyard after debate O'Donnell hoped to debate Biden for their Senate race but he denied her the match up. In a statement to CNN, O'Donnell claimed that Biden "represents everything that is wrong with politics in America today." "America will see a clear contrast between Rep. Ryan and him in the debate, and I am confident that benevolent capitalism will win out over the Obama-Biden collectivism." Another former opponent was equally biting. Ray Clatworthy, a Delaware businessman, ran against Biden in 1996 and in a rematch in 2002. He is the last person to square off against Biden in a Senate debate. Clatworthy, who supports Romney, recalled numerous debates with Biden over the two election cycles. He called them "somewhat frustrating." "I mean, Joe's a glib guy. He's a smart guy. But he is what he has to be at the moment. He will say almost anything at a given time in order to be able to advance his cause." CNN iReport: What questions would you ask the candidates? Clatworthy did call Biden a disciplined debater. But it was not intended as a compliment. "In that debate...I'm sure they will have him just as disciplined as he's ever been," Clatworthy said. "But you won't be seeing the real Joe Biden." A senior Democratic strategist, who did not want to be identified, said, "Sounds like what a guy who lost races and lost debates would say." Biden beat both O'Donnell and Clatworthy by wide margins, with notable shares of Delaware's Republican vote -- though many in the blue state are moderate. Kaufman said that Biden has always attracted Republicans. Referring to Biden's first Senate victory, Kaufman said, "If you look at the ticket in 1972 and look at the ticket at practically every race since then, he runs quite a bit better in Republican areas than many other Democrats. So it's always been a place where he's been able to convince people to vote for him." The former chief of staff cited Biden's strong family values among his attributes that appeal to conservatives. That could explain why the vice president is diving deeply into conservative strongholds in battleground states to help his ticket win. In recent weeks, Biden has campaigned in places that did not swing toward Democrats in 2008 and could offer little chance of doing so this year. Within the span of a few weeks, the vice president visited Fort Myers in Florida's Lee County, Chesterfield in Virginia's Chesterfield County, Fairborn in Ohio's Greene County, and Zanesville in Ohio's Muskingum County, to name a few. He's also made recent visits to places like Asheville in North Carolina's Buncombe County, Tamarac in Florida's Broward County and Ottumwa in Iowa's Wapello County -- counties won by the Democratic presidential ticket in 2008 and that offer a repeat chance of success. When asked about the vice president's travels, especially to red areas, the campaign demurred. "He is beloved where he goes because he's been speaking out forcefully on behalf of the president to move this country forward," the campaign official said. "He is the president's partner and No. 1 surrogate. So nothing makes him happier than going anywhere and everywhere the campaign deploys [him] -- anywhere and everywhere to continue to make the case for the president." Political experts offer more frank assessments. "You don't want to send your principal to the places where you can't win, said Vavreck of UCLA. "You save the principal for the places you think you can swing." McClain of Duke offered, "My analysis would be that if these red places they're going to, the counties, are within states that they hope they can take -- elections are won on the margins. "You don't have to pull off a lot of votes. You just have to pull off enough. And so if they're going to counties and cities that are really red, but they figure they have an opportunity or an opening with some segments of that area to kind of turn out those votes and cut down on the margins that they will need coming out of areas -- you know, it's a pretty good strategy."

Body found in hunt for schoolgirl 'not intact'

Barry Gutierrez / AP Police search near the 9800 block of Alkire St. on the west side of Stanley Lake in Arvada, Colo., on Thursday. Police are not saying whether a body found in Pattridge Park on Wednesday is linked to the disappearance of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway. By NBC News staff and wire reports A body found in Arvada, Colo., during the search for missing schoolgirl Jessica Ridgeway is "not intact," delaying the official identification of the remains, police said Thursday. AP Jessica Ridgeway disappeared while making the short walk to school Friday. Westminster Police spokesman Trevor Materasso said police have not tied the discovery of the body to the search for the missing girl, however, they hope to have a positive ID on the body by Friday. The body was removed from Pattridge Park in Arvada -- an area dotted with abandoned coal mines about five miles southwest of Westminster -- by police just before 9 p.m. Wednesday (11 p.m. ET). Authorities said Wednesday that they believed Jessica, a fifth-grader with blond hair and glasses who loves math and gym class, had been abducted. She disappeared Friday on what should have been a short walk to school in Westminster. In their search for Jessica, police have dismissed any connection to several related cases.  In one, police in Portsmouth, N.H., said there was no link between an abandoned car with a Colorado license plate found at a Walmart and the investigation into Jessica's disappearance. Instead, police said the car belongs to a woman who recently moved from Colorado to New Hampshire, and she parked at the Walmart because she doesn't have parking at her home. In another, police said they were investigating whether Jessica's case might be related to that of another girl who was abducted for several hours Monday in Cody, Wyo. Police explore link between missing Colorado girl and Wyoming abduction In Colorado, the parents of a missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway open up for the first time since their daughter disappeared on her way to school. They vow to "never stop looking." NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. In that case, a man lured the 11-year-old girl into a sport utility vehicle, saying he needed help finding his puppy. The girl was released four hours later and was discovered by hunters. Police there are looking for a white man, between 55 and 60 years old, with short, strawberry-blond or white hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. Westminster police spokeswoman Karlyn Tilley noted there is "no specific connection" between Jessica's disappearance and the Wyoming case. "It's just like everything else they're looking at," Tilley said Wednesday. "They just don't want to leave any stone unturned." Adding to the mystery was a reported sighting more than 2,000 miles away in Dexter, Maine. A woman reported seeing a girl who looked like Jessica on Sunday, in a blue Buick station wagon with Colorado plates. Authorities issued a statewide alert for officers to stop any blue Buick station wagons with Colorado plates, Dexter police Sgt. Alan Grinnell said. Citizens also have passed on tips from Maryland, Texas and Nevada, Materasso said. Police release new photos, video in search for missing Colorado girl Police in Colorado have not confirmed the age or gender of a body they recovered from a rural area not far from the home of missing 10-year old girl Jessica Ridgeway. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. Backpack, water bottle found Police in the Denver suburb of Westminster repeatedly have urged the public to study the details of Jessica's face in a photo — a small, gap-toothed grin, a slight bruise on her nose — and a short home video, in hopes they may have seen something or come across the girl. The only real clue police have revealed is the discovery over the weekend of a backpack and water bottle that Jessica had with her when she disappeared. The items were found in the town of Superior, some six miles from her home. Police won't discuss what was found in the bag or testing results on it. The search for Jessica went national, thanks in part to social media and a Facebook page set up to help find the girl. "Do your good deed of the day and retweet Jessica's photo," hundreds of Tweets urged Wednesday. Kathryn Scott Osler / The Denver Post via AP After giving the interview, Jessica's mother Sarah Ridgeway and father, Jeremiah Bryant, embrace at the Westminster Police Department Tuesday. More content from NBCNews.com: Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong Death of cockroach-eating contest winner in Florida puzzles experts University official put on leave for signing anti-gay marriage petition Suicide is epidemic for American Indian youth: What more can be done? Video: Rape victim: I was 'shocked' at computer subpoena Florida woman fends off attack from 'Mystery Monkey' Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Student survives 11-story fall from dorm room

A 22-year-old student fell 11 stories from a residence hall at Washington State University in Pullman and survived, according to a university spokesman. The student fell from an 11th-story window of a room in Orton Hall about 10 p.m. Wednesday night, the website of campus radio station KQQQ reported. University spokesman Darin Watkins told the Spokane Spokesman-Review that the male junior was flown by helicopter to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. "It's almost miraculous he's alive and we're really hoping for the best," Watkins told the newspaper. The Spokesman-Review said that trees beside the building broke the student's fall and that he landed in grass. The student was conscious when emergency crews got there, the report said. Campus police said alcohol was not involved. It was the fourth fall this semester involving students at WSU or the nearby University of Idaho, according to KQQQ and the Spokesman-Review. WSU is a public university based in Pullman in eastern Washington about 75 miles south of Spokane near the Idaho state line. There are about 21,000 students on the Pullman campus. More content from NBCNews.com: Paying $2 million to get your kid into Harvard? BP, Obama administration reportedly near deal on Gulf spill Three dead after Florida parking garage collapse; 1 still missing Why did environmental nonprofit donate to conservative pro-coal group? Video: Drought brings skunks to golf course Death of cockroach-eating contest winner in Florida puzzles experts Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Hunt for schoolgirl continues after body found

Police in Colorado have not confirmed the age or gender of a body they recovered from a rural area not far from the home of missing 10-year old girl Jessica Ridgeway. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. By NBC News staff and wire reports Police searching for missing Colorado schoolgirl Jessica Ridgeway found a body late Wednesday near the spot where she vanished, but at a brief press conference Thursday they said they were continuing to hunt for the 10-year-old. AP Jessica Ridgeway disappeared while making the short walk to school Friday. The body was removed from Pattridge Park in Arvada -- an area dotted with abandoned coal mines -- by Westminster Police just before 9 p.m. Wednesday (11 p.m. ET). Westminster Police spokesman Trevor Materasso did not release the gender or approximate age of the body, and said police have not tied the discovery of the body to the search for the missing girl. At a short press conference Thursday morning, Westminster Police said investigators will continue the search in the Westminster neighborhood where Jessica lives. Authorities said Wednesday they believed Jessica, a fifth-grader with blond hair and glasses who loves math and gym class, had been abducted. She disappeared Friday on what should have been a short walk to school. After initially saying that the public didn't need to fear a kidnapper, the police said they were investigating whether Jessica's case might be related to that of another girl who was abducted for several hours Monday in Cody, Wyoming. In that case, a man lured the 11-year-old girl into a sport utility vehicle, saying he needed help finding his puppy. The girl was released four hours later and was discovered by hunters. Police there are looking for a white man, between 55 and 60 years old, with short, strawberry-blond or white hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. Police explore link between missing Colorado girl and Wyoming abduction In Colorado, the parents of a missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway open up for the first time since their daughter disappeared on her way to school. They vow to "never stop looking." NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. Westminster police spokeswoman Karlyn Tilley noted there is "no specific connection" between Jessica's disappearance and the Wyoming case. "It's just like everything else they're looking at," Tilley said Wednesday. "They just don't want to leave any stone unturned." Adding to the mystery was a reported sighting more than 2,000 miles away in Dexter, Maine. A woman reported seeing a girl who looked like Jessica on Sunday, in a blue Buick station wagon with Colorado plates. Authorities issued a statewide alert for officers to stop any blue Buick station wagons with Colorado plates, Dexter police Sgt. Alan Grinnell said. Citizens also have passed on tips from Maryland, Texas and Nevada, Materasso said. Police release new photos, video in search for missing Colorado girl Kathryn Scott Osler / The Denver Post via AP After giving the interview, Jessica's mother Sarah Ridgeway and father, Jeremiah Bryant, embrace at the Westminster Police Department Tuesday. Backpack, water bottle found Police in the Denver suburb of Westminster repeatedly have urged the public to study the details of Jessica's face in a photo — a small, gap-toothed grin, a slight bruise on her nose — and a short home video, in hopes they may have seen something or come across the girl. The only real clue police have revealed is the discovery over the weekend of a backpack and water bottle that Jessica had with her when she disappeared. The items were found in the town of Superior, some six miles from her home. Police won't discuss what was found in the bag or testing results on it. The search for Jessica went national, thanks in part to social media and a Facebook page set up to help find the girl. "Do your good deed of the day and retweet Jessica's photo," hundreds of Tweets urged Wednesday. More content from NBCNews.com: Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong Death of cockroach-eating contest winner in Florida puzzles experts University official put on leave for signing anti-gay marriage petition Suicide is epidemic for American Indian youth: What more can be done? Video: Rape victim: I was 'shocked' at computer subpoena Florida woman fends off attack from 'Mystery Monkey' Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Dottie Sandusky to judge: 'Jerry is not the monster'

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and his wife, Dottie, afrrive at a courthouse for a pre-trial hearing in December. By NBC News staff The Common Pleas Court in McKean County, Pa., has released a letter that Dottie Sandusky wrote to Judge John Cleland after her husband, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, was convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse and before he was sentenced to 30 to 60 years for those crimes. Dottie Sandusky attended the sentencing Tuesday for her husband, who was defensive coordinator and for many years the presumed heir-apparent to legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. The case shook the university, resulting in the firing of Paterno and the departure of the president and other officials. More from Philadelphia's NBC10 Here is Dottie Sandusky's letter: Dear Judge Cleland: I am Dottie Sandusky, Jerry Sandusky's wife of 46 years in September. It is with a heavy heart I write this to you. I have known Jerry for 47 years and he has always been truthful with me, even if it hurt. He is a very up front man and a man of very high morals. Jerry always put others before himself and always wanted to make each person feel special no matter who they were. Like all of us he has his faults, one is he cares so much for people always wanting them to reach their potential. Therefore he pushes them hard. One 42 year old man who was in the Second Mile stopped by the other day and told me how thankful he is to Jerry for pushing him to be the best he could be. He said, "What I learned from Jerry has made me a better husband and father." This is a young man who had many strikes against him. Read the full sentencing order (.pdf)  Jerry was a wonderful father to our six children. We thank God each day for bringing them into our life. He treated each one as if they were our biological children. Our house was a fun house with lots of games, picnics, laughs and caring. There were always lots of people around whether it was friends of our kids, Second Mile kids or neighbors. I never saw him doing anything inappropriate to any child, if I had, as a Mother and Grandmother I would have taken action. Jerry is not the monster everyone is making him out to be. Jerry Sandusky, who is officially labeled a sexually violent predator, will be transferred from county jail to state prison next week to begin serving what amounts to a life in prison following Tuesday's sentencing. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports. Many times he would give up much of his free time, which was not many hours when he was a coach, to make a sporting event of one of the kids he was trying to help. Sometimes we would drive two hours to spend time with these kids. Legal analysis: Sandusky sentencing was logical and reasonable  One of the accusers called Jerry and said he could not do his school work because his computer broke and Jerry found a used computer that someone was not using and gave it to him. Fact is most of the things he gave to the accusers were used or given to him by people who wanted to help these young men. I use to believe in our protective system, but now have no faith in the police or legal system. To think that they can lie and get by with the lies. The press has been unbelievable. People who have not met us are writing untruths. As far as our son Matt goes, people need to know what kind of person he is. We have forgiven him many times for all he has done to our family thinking that he was changing his life, but he would always go back to his stealing and lies. He has been diagnose with Bipolar, but he refuses to take his medicine. He has had many run-ins with the law and stolen money and items from our family. We still love him and want the best for him, but because of his actions we cannot express this to him. I pray each day that God will give me the strength to do what is right and that I will be able to hold our family together. Thank you for listening. Sincerely, Dorothy D. Sandusky Transcript: Full radio statement from Jerry Sandusky Related: Audio of Sandusky's statement on Penn State student station Jerry Sandusky made a surprise statement before his sentencing and also made a statement at the hearing, insisting that "I didn't do these alleged disgusting acts." Sandusky said he had "hope in my heart for a brighter day, not knowing when that day will come." "Many moments I have spent looking for a purpose," he said. "Maybe it will help others — some vulnerable children who may have been abused may not be as a result of all the publicity — but I'm not sure about it. I would hope that it would happen."  Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky sat impassively as three of his victims told the court of the psychological effects of Sanduksy's abuse when they were young boys. NBC's John Yang reports. This article includes reporting by Karen Araiza of Philadelphia's NBC10 and NBC News staff. More content from NBCNews.com: Three dead after Florida parking garage collapse; 1 still missing Why did environmental nonprofit donate to conservative pro-coal group? Video: Drought brings skunks to golf course Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong Death of cockroach-eating contest winner in Florida puzzles experts Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Family: Sixth victim of Minneapolis workplace shooting dies

By Andrew Mach, NBC News The sixth victim of a workplace shooting rampage at a Minneapolis sign company in late September has died, police and the family said Thursday. Eric Rivers, 42, a production manager at Accent Signage Systems "passed away peacefully last night," his family said in a statement released by the Hennepin County Medical Center, NBC station KARE of Minneapolis reported. Rivers' family made the decision to take him off of life support Wednesday night after he had been in critical condition since the Sept. 27 shooting. On a personal webpage, Rivers' wife wrote Wednesday that "it's painfully evident that the damage to his brain is severe and something that no one can recover from." Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter Bloomington, Minn., police Booking photo of Andrew Engeldinger in 1997. The death brings the total number of those killed in last month's shooting to seven, including the suspected gunman, identified as Andrew J. Engeldinger, 36, an employee who had just lost his job. No victims remain in the hospital. In all, Engeldinger shot seven people, including the company's founder. In the statement, Rivers' family said, "We are grateful for the incredible courage displayed by the men and women who responded to the emergency and the wonderful medical team at Hennepin County Medical Center, who have been caring for Eric. At this time, the family asks for privacy as they deal with this tragedy. We thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers." The day of the shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan said Engeldinger was brought into the front office at the end of the work day to be terminated, and then he took out a 9mm Glock semiautomatic pistol and began shooting other employees. Engeldinger then walked to the loading dock, killing others. He was later found dead in the basement of Accent Signage Systems. Amy Forliti / AP Police investigate a shooting at Accent Signage Systems on the north side of Minneapolis Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com  Following the incident, Engeldinger's parents released a statement saying that Andrew struggled with mental illness for years and had lost contact with the family. "This is not an excuse for his actions, but sadly, may be a partial explanation," said the statement read by Carolyn and Chuck Engeldinger. They also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wounded. Minneapolis police said they plan to release 911 audio from the shooting in the coming weeks.  More content from NBCNews.com: BP, Obama administration reportedly near deal on Gulf spill Three dead after Florida parking garage collapse; 1 still missing Why did environmental nonprofit donate to conservative pro-coal group? Video: Drought brings skunks to golf course Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong Death of cockroach-eating contest winner in Florida puzzles experts Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook