Authorities investigate body found in Encino parking lot
Law Enforcement News
Authorities investigate body found in Encino parking lot
Authorities are investigating the discover of a body in an Encino apartment complex parking lot Wednesday morning, officials said. Officers responded at about 10:28 a.m. to the 5400 block of Yarmouth Avenue following a report of a possible suspicious death, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel initially located the deceased individual behind the apartment complex in a parking area next to a dumpster and notified police. Officials said the person appeared to be seated in a wheelchair when they found them. After investigating the circumstances, authorities determined the death was the result of natural causes, LAPD Media Relations Officer Cervantes confirmed. No additional information about the individual has been released.
Son rushes father to hospital after shooting outside San Pedro business
A man was rushed to a local hospital by his son after he was shot outside a business in San Pedro early Thursday morning. The shooting was reported around 2:15 a.m. at West 7th and South Mesa streets, according to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson. Arriving officers were unable to locate the victim at the scene but found evidence of a shooting, including property believed to belong to the man, video news service KNN reported. Police later confirmed that the victim’s son had taken him to a hospital after finding him with a gunshot wound. The victim, described only as a 38-year-old man, was listed in critical condition. Investigators are working to determine a motive. No suspect description has been released.
LAPD detectives share video as search for North Hollywood hit-and-run driver continues
Los Angeles police have shared new video of a hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian severely injured in North Hollywood last month as they continue searching for the driver. The crash happened back on Jan. 24 at around 9:20 p.m., as a the victim, a man in his 60s, was walking northbound across Bellaire Avenue in a marked crosswalk, according to a news release from the LAPD. Police say that the man was hit by a 2017-2019 Nissan Rogue Sport that was driving westbound on Sherman Way. "The impact caused the pedestrian to be thrown into the air and collide with the roadway," LAPD's release said. "The driver failed to stop, identify themselves, and render aid as required by law, and continued westbound on Sherman Way.” The man, who hasn't yet been publicly identified, was rushed to a nearby hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where they say he was treated for severe injuries suffered in the crash. New video shared by detectives, which is available on LAPD's YouTube channel, shows the suspect leaving a shopping center at 12650 Sherman Way just seconds before the collision. They said that the car could have visible damage to the front hood or fender area from the impact.
It starts with a tap on the shoulder and ends with being fleeced. Alleged ATM scam duo sought
An ATM con that involves some snooping, some acting and some sleight-of-hand is being carried out across Southern California, police say. And the victims may be the least able to spot the scam. The Los Angeles Police Department is calling on the public for help in identifying a pair of alleged scammers who officials say have been targeting elderly bank customers for at least a month. Here’s how investigators say the scheme plays out. One suspect watches the victim as they enter their PIN on the ATM keypad. The same suspect drops a $20 bill behind the victim, then taps them on the shoulder to alert them that they appear to have dropped some money. While the victim is retrieving the money, a second suspect quickly removes the ATM card from the machine and replaces it with a counterfeit card that closely resembles the original. The victim unknowingly takes the fake card, unaware that their actual bank card has been stolen. According to authorities, the suspects use the stolen card to withdraw thousands of dollars from the victim’s account. Among victims, authorities say, was an 83-year-old man who went to an ATM in the 2100 block of Colorado Boulevard around noon Jan. 15.
LA law enforcement agencies conduct large-scale drill amid preparations for World Cup, 2028 Olympics
Local law enforcement agencies gathered Wednesday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a full-scale active shooter drill as part of preparations for this year's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. The training included the Los Angeles Police Department, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol and the L.A. Fire Department. Officials said the joint exercise was designed to strengthen communication and coordination among first responders ahead of multiple major events, including the Super Bowl at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium next year. While the department trains frequently, the opportunity to work alongside other agencies is essential for largescale event readiness. "We always try and learn from what we can study elsewhere to be able to make us better and make us better prepared here," said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. "We have the best team we could ask for right here in this region. We want to be able to capitalize on that, to be able to do the job that the community here deserves and that the world community deserves when they come here for the major events ahead of us."
Soon after seizing fentanyl from DUI suspect, CHP officer died from ingesting the drug
Shortly after seizing fentanyl and administering Narcan to a DUI suspect experiencing a possible overdose, CHP Officer Miguel Cano started to feel unwell, swerved his patrol car into a tree and was killed. His sudden death left many questions unanswered. Almost eight months later, one piece of the puzzle was revealed Monday — his cause of death was ruled an accident due to the effects of fentanyl, according to the L.A. County medical examiner. But exactly how Cano ingested a lethal amount of fentanyl remains unclear, the California Highway Patrol said Wednesday, and it is reviewing the findings in the medial examiner’s report and continuing to investigate. “We owe it to the family, our personnel and the public to get this right. We are committed to a complete and objective examination of the facts,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a statement. “Out of respect for those most affected, we will not engage in speculation or premature conclusions.” Last July, in a news conference following Cano’s death, Duryee said investigators had ruled out possible exposure to drugs as a cause, noting that “the other officer and the subject did not experience any signs or symptoms related to that.”
3 fugitives wanted in California crimes arrested in Tijuana
Three fugitives wanted for crimes committed in California, including two deadly cases, were arrested in Tijuana, according to Mexican law enforcement. Álvaro Cervantes, 41, of Ventura, was wanted in connection with the deadly shooting of a man that took place on Feb. 15, 2025, in Oxnard. According to the Oxnard Police Department, Cervantes shot and killed 39-year-old Ruben Villa last year. The suspect’s wanted poster was shared by the FBI and he was located at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Ysidro on Feb. 18, leading to his arrest, local officials said. In a second operation, a 17-year-old suspected of homicide was arrested in the Zona Urbana Ejido Matamoros neighborhood. Details on that case were not specified, but documents by the Los Angeles County Court showed the case occurred on Nov. 22, 2025. The teenager, whose name was not revealed, now faces charges that include murder, intentional discharge of a firearm and robbery. The third man, who was identified as Daniel Alvarez, 29, of Los Angeles, was wanted in connection with a robbery that happened in 2020. He was also seen in the Zona Urbana Ejido Matamoros neighborhood and arrested by officers from the Baja California Secretariat of Citizen Security. Following his detainment, Alvarez was given two charges of possession of a firearm by a narcotic addict and robbery.
Public Safety News
Fire at Vacant Former Fairfax Pizza Shop Prompts Arson Investigation
A non-injury fire broke out at a vacant former pizza shop in the Fairfax District Thursday morning, prompting an arson investigation because of surveillance video that possibly showed the blaze may have been set intentionally. The call came in at 1:48 a.m. at the former Esco’s pizzeria in the 600 block of La Brea Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Over 40 firefighters responded and put the fire out in 30 minutes, a department spokeswoman said. The LAFD called in its arson investigators because of possible suspicious activity caught on surveillance video, the LAFD’s Margaret Stewart said.
Local Government News
LA Council to Explore Raising Financial Threshold of Small Businesses Tax Exemption Program
The Los Angeles City Council directed city staff Wednesday to explore raising the financial threshold of its small business tax exemption program. In a 13-0 vote, the council instructed the Office of Finance with assistance from top city analysts to report on the feasibility of raising the program’s threshold, as well as potential fiscal impacts. The report will also examine how other cities implement business taxes. Council members John Lee and Traci Park were absent during the vote. The program originally eliminated taxes on businesses with gross receipts of less than $5,000. In 2005, the council increased that threshold to $50,000, and it was increased again on July 1, 2006, to $100,000. During that time the city also implemented a similar initiative for new businesses, but it expired in January 2016.
