BWC: Man With Knife Charges At LAPD Officers Who Were Investigating Unrelated Incident Before OIS

The LAPD has released body camera video shows a man approaching officers holding a knife, according to the critical incident briefing. The April 18 incident began when officers responded to reports of a suspect sexually assaulting a woman on a sidewalk, according to the briefing. The officers arrived on the scene, contacted the victim and detained the suspect of the alleged sexual assault. While officers were investigating the incident and providing medical care to the victim, an unrelated suspect approached the officers. The suspect can be seen walking toward officers on security camera footage. As the suspect stood near officers, a community member pointed out that he was holding a knife, body camera video shows. The man then moved toward the officers while raising the knife. One officer can be seen moving away from the man to avoid being attacked. The man chased after the officer, who then turned and fired a shot, bringing the suspect to the ground. The suspect was treated at a hospital, according to the briefing. He has been charged with attempted murder of a peace officer and assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

PoliceOne

LAPD Seeks Help In Finding Driver In NoHo Arts District Hit-and-Run

The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public’s help in tracking down a driver who struck a pedestrian in the North Hollywood Arts District last month before fleeing the scene. The collision at about 11:30 p.m. on April 14 occurred on Magnolia Boulevard, just east of Lankershim Boulevard. According to police, a pedestrian was headed north across Magnolia outside of a marked crosswalk when they were hit by a blue SUV, which then “fled from the scene without stopping, identifying [the driver] or attempting to render aid to the pedestrian who sustained severe injuries.” A $25,000 reward is available for information that can help solve the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Martinez at 818-644-8033. During non-business hours or on weekends, call 1-877-LAPD-247.

KTLA 5

Partially Blind Woman Left Brain Dead After Attack In Los Angeles

An East Los Angeles family is demanding justice after a partially blind woman was attacked and declared brain dead. “She’s my life, she's my love, she’s always with me what am I going to do now,” Jose Rangel Hernandez, the victim’s husband, said. Rangel Hernandez said doctors told him his wife of 30 years no longer has brain activity. Maria Guadelupe Vargas, who is partially blind, fell and hit her head. Rangel Hernandez said she was trying to help him while he was being attacked by a homeless man. “When the guy come to me I don’t want no trouble so I say no english so he start hitting me for no english he start hitting me 3 , 4 times,” Rangel Hernandez said. The attack happened on March 9 around 10:30 a.m. Rangel Hernandez said he was in the drive thru of the McDonalds on Soto Street when the homeless man began hitting him through his open window. Rangel Hernandez said he got out of the car to defend himself. Surveillance footage showed Vargas slowly making her way to the two men, trying to help her husband. “The man bumped her with his body and dropped her and she hit her head bc of that she had heart attack,” Veronica Rangel, the victim’s stepdaugher, said. Vargas was taken to the hospital and released after a week, but was readmitted because her health kept declining, and today the doctors told the family the awful news.

NBC 4

11 Arrested During LAPD Blitz Operation At Downtown Shopping Center

Police arrested 11 people on Sunday for shoplifting at two retailers inside the FIGat7th Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. The arrests happened during a blitz operation to stop retail theft at the shopping center. The Los Angeles Police Department defines a blitz operation as a saturation of resources and officers in a certain area to combat crime. In some cases, officers could be undercover and embedded with the retailers' security guards. In this specific undertaking, officers placed themselves at two unspecified retailers inside FIGat7th throughout Sunday. LAPD stated several suspects qualified for cite and release under the LA County Misdemeanor Bail Schedule while others had pending warrants. Anyone with information about retail theft should call police at (213) 833-3750. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 222-8477 or through their website.

CBS 2

Suspect Arrested After Santa Monica Stabbing

A 29-year-old man has been arrested for an unprovoked stabbing in Downtown Santa Monica that has sent three victims to local hospitals. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, two of the victims were hospitalized, one in critical condition while the third was assaulted but reported no major injuries. SMPD said the incident began at about 8 p.m. on Sunday May 19 when the suspect, Larry Ameyal Cedeno attacked the three victims on the 1500 block of 4th Street near Parking Structure #7. “Upon arriving at the scene, officers immediately began CPR on the first victim while additional officers located the suspect,” said a statement provided by SMPD. “The suspect was detained and arrested a short time later. The suspect remains in custody at the Santa Monica Jail pending arraignment and the official filing of charges.” No information was available on Cedeno’s city of residence but police said he was on probation for larceny. “The safety and security of our community is our top priority. As we actively investigate this incident, we will continue to provide updates as they become available. No additional information is available at this time,” said the statement.

Westside Current

L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Asking For Public’s Help In Finding New York Man Missing In Malibu

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a New York man reportedly linked to European royalty who has been missing since Saturday. Attilio Brillembourg, 53, was last seen at 1:10 a.m. in the 6000 block of Murphy Way in Malibu. He is described as 5 feet 10 and 165 pounds, with green eyes and a tattoo on his upper thigh. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, gray pants and no shoes. Several media outlets have reported that Brillembourg is the stepfather of Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark. “There is concern for Mr. Brillembourg’s well-being,” said to a sheriff’s missing person bulletin. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, Missing Person Detail at (323) 890-5500 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers,1-800-222-8477.

Los Angeles Times

Jurupa Valley Family Of 4 Arrested In String Of Alleged Retail Thefts

Four family members have been arrested for allegedly carrying out at least 10 retail thefts in Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, authorities said. On April 24, deputies from the Southwest sheriff's station responded to the 32100 block of Temecula Parkway, where multiple people stole more than $1,000 in merchandise from a business, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said Friday. Authorities said they learned that the same people were also responsible for several other thefts at other Southern California retail stores. The Southwest station's Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team assumed the investigation and identified the suspects as Jurupa Valley residents Thomas Balandran, 50, Sherri Alvarez, 48, Brianna Balandran, 19, and a 17-year-old juvenile who was not identified. The sheriff's department said all four were related, and were believed to be responsible for more than $7,000 in losses in 10 robberies in the three counties, with possible additional unidentified incidents of theft. Deputies located the suspects and served a search warrant Monday in the 6800 block of Valley Way, where they allegedly found narcotics, paraphernalia and “a large amount of merchandise from the retailers with tags still affixed.” The three adult suspects were booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of organized retail theft, burglary, conspiracy and grand theft. The juvenile was released to a family member with later charges to be filed with juvenile probation.

NBC 4

4 Men Arrested For Allegedly Selling Fentanyl, Cocaine On Dark Web

The United States Department of Justice announced four men have been arrested for allegedly selling fentanyl pills and cocaine on the dark web. Authorities say Southern California natives, 21-year-old Alejandro Soto, and 21-year-old Austin Blanco, both from Burbank, and Las Vegas residents, 23-year-old Craig Rushton, and 20-year-old Christian McKibben have all been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of cocaine. The investigation began in April of 2021. The DOJ says the four men conspired with 23-year-old Van Nuys native Brian McDonald, and 23-year-old Ciara Clutario, of Burbank, to traffic fentanyl and cocaine. McDonald and Clutario allegedly created vendor profiles on darknet marketplaces to sell fentanyl, cocaine, and other illegal narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency. The pair maintained online dark web profiles and arranged drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders received through the profiles and offloading cryptocurrency received on the darknet marketplaces into cryptocurrency wallets that the co-conspirators controlled.

KTLA 5

DNA Helps Identify Woman Whose Body Was Found At Bottom Of Bay Area Cliff Nearly 60 Years Ago

DNA analysis has helped identify a woman whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff in the Bay Area nearly 60 years ago, authorities said. The woman’s decomposed remains were found Feb. 3, 1967, at the base of a cliff on Highway 1, near Jenner, about 80 miles north of San Francisco, according to a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office news release. Multiple fractures to her skull and ribs were determined to be the cause of death, but it was unknown how she sustained those injuries. Efforts to identify her were unsuccessful. She was eventually listed as Jane Doe and laid to rest at the County of Sonoma Cemetery shortly afterward, authorities said. In 2009, the woman’s body was exhumed with the help of anthropology professor Mark Griffin of San Francisco State University, authorities said. Her death was then determined to be a homicide. In 2023, Othram Inc., a forensic genetic analysis company, analyzed her DNA and identified her as Lillian Marie Cardenas, authorities said. The investigation found that Cardenas was born in 1928 and last lived in San Francisco; she was estranged from her family members before her death. But many questions remain. Anyone with information about Cardenas’ life or death is encouraged to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit at (707) 565-2727 or email [email protected].

Los Angeles Times

Firefighters Extinguish Fire At Abandoned, 2-Story Hotel In Hollywood

Firefighters Sunday knocked down a structure fire that damaged an abandoned two-story hotel in Hollywood. The fire erupted just before 5 a.m. in the 1500 block of Schrader Boulevard, prompting dozens of firefighters to respond. The Los Angeles Fire Department says it took crews 98 minutes to fully extinguish the heavy fire that was in the basement, ground floor, and attic of the structure. An investigation into the cause of the fire was underway. No injuries were reported. 

CBS 2

Los Angeles County Issues Bacteria Warning For 6 Beaches

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning residents to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters at six area beaches due to high bacteria levels on Tuesday, May 21. The following beaches are under the warning: Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro (entire swim area); Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms); Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey (entire swim area); Santa Monica Pier (100 yards up and down the coast from the pier); Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica State Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain); and Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu (100 yards up and down the coast from the Lagoon). The warnings were lifted for the following four beaches after recent samples found water quality levels within state standards. The cleared beaches include: Walnut Creek at Paradise Cove; Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach; Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach, near Will Rogers Tower 18; and Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach. Information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the county's beach closure hotline at 1-800- 525-5662. A map of impacted locations and more information is available here.

CBS 2

LA City Council Committee Advances Charter Reform Proposals

Following more than five hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles City Council committee Monday advanced several proposals intended to reform the City Charter. On Monday, the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance approved recommendations brought forward by the departments of planning, personnel, recreation and parks, airports, water and power, among others. While some of these recommendations will be brought forward to City Council at a future date to be finalized and placed on the November ballot, others are expected to be discussed by the new Charter Reform Commission — once it has been established. The City Attorney’s Office is drafting a measure for the November ballot that if approved by voters would create a Charter Reform Commission, which would routinely review and update aspects of the City Charter. According to Council President Paul Krekorian, most of the suggestions were technical changes or updated guidelines, and other ideas would need to be fleshed out. One proposal was that the city switch to a two-year budget process instead of a one-year process.

MyNewsLA

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.