2 Women Are Brutally Attacked On Venice Canals, Forcing Debate On Crime, Homelessness

Mary Klein wanted to get in 3,000 more steps. It was around 10:30 p.m., and the longtime Venice resident and sculptor — who had just finished up at work caring for an elderly couple — hadn’t reached her daily goal of 10,000. She headed to the canals, parked along Strongs Drive and started to walk. But soon after, she said, she felt someone’s presence behind her. Then everything went black. About an hour later, another woman was attacked a few hundred feet away. Police say Anthony Francisco Jones, 29, committed both assaults. He was arrested in San Diego days later. That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community. Many had always felt the tourist destination with multimillion-dollar homes perched along the waterways was safe, even when walking alone at night. But even though violent crime in Venice is down, the fact that police say the suspect is a transient man has heightened years of debate about the neighborhood’s problems with its unhoused population. Court documents reviewed by The Times reveal the disturbing details of the night of April 6. Surveillance video from a home in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive captured the assault on Klein. The video — which prosecutors described in a document requesting that Jones be held without bail — shows a man dragging Klein’s body to the gate of a house. He was wearing a light-colored jacket, Nike shoes and a polo shirt.

Los Angeles Times

Man Breaking Into Car Is Fatally Stabbed At USC's Greek Row, Police Say

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a deadly stabbing at USC's Greek Row on Monday night after they say a witness interrupted a car break-in and fatally stabbed the suspected burglar. Police said the incident is being investigated as a homicide. There appeared to be some sort of confrontation between the witness and the person breaking into a vehicle, police said. The stabbing occurred at around 8 p.m. and appeared to have taken place outside of a fraternity house. The victim was a man who is believed to be in his 30s. Police said the witness was in custody. Although USC is let out for summer, some students said they remain at their fraternity and sorority houses. 

NBC 4

LAPD Locks Down Westchester Park Following Reports Of Multiple Gunshots

Westchester Park was put on lockdown by the police on Monday evening following reports of a shooting. At approximately 7:10 PM, local authorities received reports of what was described as 15 to 20 gunshots within the park vicinity. In response, police quickly mobilized and dispatched additional units to the scene to secure the area and assist in the investigation. The park was closed to all incoming and outgoing vehicle traffic. Eyewitnesses reported seeing at least one individual in handcuffs near the location, although police have not confirmed whether this person is directly connected to the shooting incident. The LAPD has not yet released additional information about the nature of the shooting or any potential suspects beyond the initial reports.

Westside Current

Flash Mob Suspects Stole More Than $10K In Merchandise: LAPD

Police arrested a man and a woman suspected of stealing more than $10,000 worth of merchandise during a series of flash mob robberies around Los Angeles. Haleni Sitani, 19, and Aniyah Mitchell, 20, were taken into custody on June 11, the Los Angeles Police Department announced on X, formerly Twitter, Monday. The pair are suspected in multiple retail robberies including one on March 22, on the 3400 block of East 4th Street in which more than $1,500 in merchandise was taken from a business. Police said the numerous thefts involving the suspects cost retail stores about $10,700. Officers recovered a firearm, a loaded high-capacity magazine and several items stolen from the stores while serving a search warrant after the arrests. Sitani was booked on suspicion of robbery and was being held on $50,000 bail. Mitchell was booked on suspicion of grand theft with zero bail, according to the Police Department. A third suspect is still being sought in connection with the case.

KTLA 5

Street Races, Takeovers On The Rise In Early 2024

The number of reports of illegal street races and intersection takeovers, also known as side shows, increased in Los Angeles in the first months of 2024, according to new LAPD data, and authorities said they're still struggling to find an effective solution to prevent them. More than 176 street races were reported between January and March, up nearly 50% from the same period in 2023, and the number of takeovers rose 2% to 190, although officials cautioned the numbers were incomplete and probably low, due to a data collection upgrade underway at the LAPD. "It's just been kind of frustrating dealing with all the street takeovers," said Michael Kirchmann, Jr., who lives close to where a takeover happened at Century Boulevard and Hoover Street that led to a crowd break-in and burglary at an auto parts store on June 9. He said he's called city officials to urge action, and said when he's called police, it can take an hour for officers to arrive. "I find it interesting that it's happening all over the city," he said, "Yet there's not this concerted effort between LAPD and the city council's office or the mayor to figure out what can we do to stop this?" "It's hard enough in South L.A.," he said. The LAPD has street racing task forces operating in different parts of the city, and according to their data, officers have been making arrests and issuing more citations.

NBC 4

Suspects In Custody After Bailing From Car After Pursuit In Boyle Heights Area

Police have taken four suspects into custody after they bailed from their car at the end of a pursuit in the Boyle Heights area Monday. The brief chase came to a sudden end near S. Fresno Street and Garnet Street, when the driver and three other people got out of the still moving car and ran on foot into some homes in the area. SkyCal was overhead as the group scattered around 10:10 p.m., some jumping over fences into the backyards of homes and even walking up to the front doors of some homes, with Los Angeles Police Department officers trailing close behind. Just after 1 a.m., LAPD said all four people had been taken into custody. LAPD said the chase was initiated when they determined the car was allegedly stolen. 

CBS 2

Southern California Man, 27, Charged With Shooting At 3 Boys, Killing 13-Year-Old 

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is filing several charges against a man who allegedly opened fire on teenage boys, killing one of them and injuring another. According to a release from the DA’s office, the shooting occurred just after noon on June 5 on Pine Street in Santa Ana, not far from an elementary school. The shooting was preceded by a confrontation on Pine between two 13-year-old boys and another child, authorities said. The two boys began running towards an apartment building on nearby Bishop Street when, minutes later, the suspect drove up to the boys, stopped in the street and opened fire. One of the 13-year-olds was shot in the head and rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries days later, police said. He was identified by law enforcement officials as Daniel Vargas. A GoFundMe set up to help the Vargas family with funeral expenses can be found here. The other 13-year-old Vargas was with – whose identity was not released – was not struck by gunfire; however, a 16-year-old boy who looked out his kitchen window during the shooting was shot in the head, police said. He was transported to a local hospital and survived the shooting, authorities added. 

KTLA 5

Indiana Man Found Guilty Of Killing Police K-9; Acquitted For Shooting At Officer

A Gary man got a split verdict late Wednesday — convicted for killing a police dog and acquitted of shooting at a cop. Jurors acquitted Spencer Patterson of attempted murder after he was charged with shooting at Gary police Sgt. Angel Lozano. They convicted Patterson of battery by means of a deadly weapon, two counts of resisting law enforcement, and one count of striking a law enforcement animal. His sentencing is set for July 12. Deputy Prosecutors Michelle Jatkiewicz and Adam Martin said during trial that Patterson was evading arrest, killed Lozano’s K-9 dog Falco, then opened fire on the officer. Patterson shot the dog, his lawyer John Cantrell said Thursday. He said there was no evidence — including bullet casings or holes — that showed Patterson opened fire at the officer after the cops searched the overgrown backyard with metal detectors. They were “trying to justify (the officer) shooting at my client six times,” he said. The incident started just before 2 p.m. July 13, 2023. Lozano and his K-9 partner, Falco, proceeded to the area of the 1000 block of East 35th Place to search for Patterson. At first, he ordered Patterson, who was “fidgety,” to put his hands on the car. He gave the officer a fake name. As Lozano tried to handcuff him, Patterson took off.

PoliceOne

9 Injured, Including 2 Children, In Shooting At Michigan Splash Pad

Nine people were injured, including two young children and their mother, after a shooter opened fire at a splash pad in a Detroit suburb where families gathered to escape the summer heat Saturday. Law enforcement tracked a suspect to a home, where the man died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. An 8-year-old boy was shot in the head and in critical condition Saturday night, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said during a news conference. The boy’s mother also was in critical condition after being wounded in the abdomen and leg, and his 4-year-old brother was in stable condition with a leg wound. Authorities initially said they believed as many as 10 people had gunshot wounds from the shooting in Rochester Hills, but that number was revised after they checked with area hospitals. The other six victims, all 30 or older, were in stable condition, Bouchard said. They included a husband-and-wife couple and a 78-year-old man. The shooting happened just after 5 p.m. at a city park featuring a recreation area with a nonslip surface where people can turn on sprays and fountains of water to play in. Bouchard said the attack appeared to be random, with the shooter driving up to the park, walking to the splash pad and firing as many as 28 times, stopping multiple times to reload.

Associated Press

Mpox Cases Increase In LA County; Health Officials Advise At-Risk Residents To Take Precautions

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported a "concerning increase" of 10 new cases of mpox in the past two weeks, up from a countywide average of less than two cases per week the preceding several weeks. Health officials are strongly recommending that at-risk residents take action. Early signs can feel like the flu, but a new, unexplained rash is when most people start to realize this could be mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. Now health officials are seeing an uptick. "We had four cases about two weeks ago, and then six cases last week," said Dr. Sonali Kulkarni, director of the HIV and STD programs at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "And so to us that's a sign that we are entering the summer season where people are more social and sexually active." The county typically tracks about one or two cases per week. Mpox is mainly spread through close contact with bodily fluids, sores, shared bedding or respiratory droplets transmitted through kissing, coughing or sneezing and even skin to skin contact.

ABC 7

Firefighters Increase Containment Of 15,600-Acre Post Fire In LA And Ventura Counties

Firefighters increased containment lines around a 15,600-acre wildfire burning in two Southern California counties with improving weather conditions expected Tuesday. The Post Fire, which started Saturday in the northern Los Angeles County community of Gorman near the 5 Freeway, was 24-percent contained Tuesday morning. That's significant progress from Monday morning, when the fire was only 8-percent contained. The fire was estimated at more than 15,600 acres Tuesday, roughly the same size as Monday morning. Winds are expected to decrease Tuesday, but a red flag warning indicating high-risk fire conditions remains in effect until Tuesday evening. The red flag warning will remain in place until 6 p.m. for the 5 Freeway corridor due to strong winds and low humidity. Wind gusts of 35 to 55 mph were in the overnight forecast with gusts up to 60 mph, but winds the area are expected to gradually decrease Tuesday to 25 to 45 mph. A red flag warning also is in effect in the western San Gabriel Mountains and 14 Freeway corridor. The Post Fire, the largest currently burning in Southern California, was threatening structures after destroying at least one commercial property. About 1,200 people were evacuated from the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area. Winds were pushing flames south toward Pyramid Lake, which is closed.

NBC 4

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.