In 1976, the first of eight shootings ascribed to the serial killer known as “Son of Sam” occurred on a street in The Bronx, New York, as a gunman killed 18-year-old Donna Lauria and wounded her friend, 19-year-old Jody Valenti. (In a year-long reign of terror, the shooter also known as the “.44 Caliber Killer” would claim five more lives and wound six more people until the arrest of David Berkowitz, who is serving a life sentence.)

Ten years ago

The U.S. command announced it was sending 3,700 troops to Baghdad to try to quell sectarian violence sweeping the Iraqi capital. Actor-director Mel Gibson issued a lengthy statement apologizing for his drunken-driving arrest and for what he called his “despicable” statements toward the deputies who arrested him in Malibu, California.

Five years ago

Norway began burying the dead, a week after an anti- Muslim extremist killed 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage. Delaware carried out its first execution since 2005, putting to death Robert Jackson III, who was convicted of killing a woman, Elizabeth Girardi, with an ax during a burglary.

One year ago

Defense Secretary Ash Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee that America’s armed forces stood ready to confront Iran, but that a successful implementation of the nuclear agreement with Tehran was preferable to a military strike. Afghan authorities announced they were certain that the Taliban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had died in a Pakistani hospital in 2013. Microsoft released its Windows 10 operating system, an upgrade of Windows 8.

— By The Associated Press