Candidates For LA County District Attorney Blast George Gascón During Debate

L.A. District Attorney George Gascón was the main target during a debate among his nine challengers Wednesday night. Gascón skipped the event — a fact police union organizers highlighted by placing an empty podium with his name on it on the stage. Most of the challengers’ main complaints were that Gascón’s policies are too lenient. On the day he took office last year, Gascón introduced a sweeping set of reforms that rolled back penalties for people who commit crimes. He said it was part of his agenda of easing mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Nearly all of his opponents vowed during the debate to reverse his reforms. “The public is crying out for someone who’ll put their interests first rather than criminals,” said Nathan Hochman, who ran for state attorney general as a Republican last year and now wants to replace Gascón. Superior Court Judge Debra Archeleta said the DA “prioritizes criminals over everyone else.” “We need to get the district attorney’s office back to its core mission, which is public protection,” said retired judge David Milton. Gascón has directed his nearly 1,000 prosecutors to decline charges involving 13 categories of low-level misdemeanors, including driving on a suspended license, drug and paraphernalia possession, and public intoxication. He also ordered his prosecutors to no longer file a range of sentencing enhancements, which are designed to extend prison sentences.

LAist

Woman With Criminal Background Arrested In Hit-and-Run That Killed Wilmington Father

A woman with a long criminal history is now facing murder charges for a deadly hit-and-run in Wilmington. Police say Rachel Fiorentino Gutierrez was driving at a high rate of speed when she swerved out of her lane and into the center divider. The impact killed Juan Jose Areyan. Gutierrez has a long criminal history and was involved in another crash after the hit-and-run. Areyan's family says they're glad a suspect has been caught. The deadly hit and run happened July 3. Surveillance video shows Areyan, 36, lighting fireworks in the middle lane just feet away from his Wilmington home. As his family watched in horror, police say 37-year-old Gutierrez hit Areyan, killing him instantly. Det. Ryan Moreno with LAPD's South Traffic Division says Areyan was in the center divider and wasn't blocking traffic. From the video it appeared Gutierrez was driving fast and then swerved into the center divider to strike Areyan, he said.

ABC 7

Suspect In Brutal Chinatown Robbery Linked To Other Crimes, LAPD Says

Los Angeles police are seeking the public's help as they investigate a violent armed robbery in Chinatown. Suspect Courtland Thornton, 31, is in custody but LAPD investigators believe he may be responsible for additional robberies. Thornton is accused of brutally attacking a 60-year-old store clerk during a robbery at Angies Boutique in Chinatown on Sept. 14. The store clerk, Van Huyn, was left bloodied on the ground with a fractured nose and a torn eyelid. Huyn said she was hospitalized for three days and had to get 21 stitches. Thornton is accused of getting away with two art pieces worth $5,000, according to storeowner John Nguyen. LAPD detectives said Thornton is accused of committing six other robberies and believe there could be more. They're asking members of the public to contact them if they have more information or may have encountered Thornton. "Based on our investigation we believe he may be involved in similar robberies where he has not yet been identified," said Det. Huy Nguyen.

ABC 7

Burglars Smash Through Wall To Get Into Pharmacy

A group of thieves smashed a glass door and broke through a wall to burglarize a pharmacy in Van Nuys early Friday morning. At about 12:30 a.m., a group of two or three people wearing masks broke the glass door of a tax services company at 13745 Victory Blvd., then used a sledgehammer to smash through a wall and get into the neighboring pharmacy, a witness told the Los Angeles Police Department, as reported by stringer service OnScene.TV. Footage from the scene shows drywall and boxes strewn about the entry point for the bandits. The burglars took merchandise from the pharmacy, though the exact amount has yet to be determined, and also rifled through office cabinets before fleeing in a red sedan. No further information was available.

KTLA 5

2 LA County Sheriff's Deputies Hurt After Being Hit By Car During Chase

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were injured after they were hit by a car following a pursuit Thursday in West Hollywood. Deputies from the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station were responding to a burglary call just before the crash occurred at 4:38 p.m. Deputies began a pursuit of the burglary suspect near San Vicente Boulevard and Cynthia Street, where investigators say the burglar made a U-turn and slammed into the deputies’ vehicle. Both deputies were taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where one is listed in serious but stable condition and the other is recovering from minor injuries, authorities said. “These suspects obviously were trying to get away, they were dangerous. Deputies tried to intercede and they got injured while trying to do that to protect our community,” Sheriff Robert Luna said. The suspect ran from the scene and is at large.

NBC 4

89 Arrests Made So Far By LASD’s New Retail Crime Task Force

Organized retail theft is hitting businesses hard, and Steve Craig, owner of Citadel Outlets, knows firsthand. “A few months ago, several ladies walked into Lululemon with 55 gallon trash bags, loaded them up as full as they could and ran out the door with them,” Craig said. “They’re organized; these products end up in other places, and it’s for profit.” It’s something that authorities and store owners say is becoming all too common, and on Thursday, Los Angeles County officials held a press conference at the popular outdoor shopping mall in Commerce to provide an update on the progress being made in the ongoing campaign against thieves. L.A. County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis joined Sheriff Robert Luna to discuss the progress made so far by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Organized Retail Theft Task Force. “In the first five weeks of the task force, our teams have made 89 arrests for retail-related thefts, recovered six firearms, and executed 52 search warrants,” Luna said.

KTLA 5

California Man Detonates Explosive-Filled Teddy Bear In Parking Lot

A man in California was arrested after he was allegedly caught on surveillance video placing a fluffy teddy bear, filled with explosives, in a parking lot and detonating it. The San Bernardino Police Department said officers responded to a possible explosive device inside a teddy bear that was detonated in front of a business on Wednesday afternoon. The department released surveillance video of the teddy bear explosion, which captures the moment the toy is seen exploding in the parking lot. A man can be seen placing the teddy bear on the ground of the business’ parking lot next to a white van and then running back to his vehicle. Once detonated, the stuffed animal is seen releasing a large puff of smoke and startling a woman getting into another vehicle in the parking lot. Police did not share why the suspect exploded the teddy bear or if anyone in the parking was injured during the detonation.

FOX 11

As Fears Of Hate Crimes Spike, Newsom OKs Funds To Add More Police Where People Pray

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved millions in state funding to boost the presence of police at synagogues, mosques and other places of worship as fears ratchet up over the possibility of local violence stemming from the Israel-Hamas war. The expansion will allow for the disbursement of $10 million to fund police officers at religious institutions by reimbursing overtime costs incurred. The funding will also provide an additional $20 million to the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program, doubling its budget this year. The program allows for nonprofits in the state to apply for grant funds for increased security measures, such as reinforced doors, cameras and alarms. “Amid the horror unfolding in the Middle East following the unconscionable terrorist attacks in Israel, California is authorizing the immediate deployment of funds to increase security and police presence at places of worship across the state,” Newsom said in a statement. “No matter how and where one prays, every Californian deserves to be safe.”

Los Angeles Times

All 3 Prime Suspects Have Been Arrested In Killing Of Philly Officer, Police Say

Two more people have been charged in connection with the airport parking garage shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and wounded another last week, authorities announced Wednesday, saying they now have in custody all three suspects who were sought in the attack. A fourth suspect was killed. Alexander Batista-Polanco, 21, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez, 21, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, First Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a news conference. It was unclear if the suspects have attorneys. No listed telephone numbers for them could be found Wednesday and a spokesperson for the Defender Association of Philadelphia declined to comment. A third suspect, 18-year-old Yobranny Martinez Fernandez, was arrested on Monday, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and brought to Philadelphia, authorities said. Martinez Fernandez is from Camden County, New Jersey, and was being held in that state on a fugitive warrant. All three suspects were charged with murder and attempted murder, according to Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore. A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Jesus Herman Madera Duran, was shot during the confrontation and died at a hospital after being dropped off by his cohorts, police said.

Associated Press

Kansas Police Chief Suffers Heart Attack After Leaving Standoff Scene; Dies 2 Weeks Later

Goodland Police Department Chief Frank Hayes Jr. died in the line of duty Aug. 30, Officer Down Memorial Page reported. Hayes suffered a heart attack on Aug. 16 after helping to negotiate a police standoff, according to the report. The suspect had barricaded himself in his home and was shooting at neighbors and officers. He surrendered after two hours of negotiations. Hayes went to the emergency room immediately after leaving the scene, where he suffered a heart attack. Despite surgery, he died two weeks later. Hayes was 53 years old and had served in law enforcement for nine years, including three as Goodland’s police chief. He is survived by his wife, four children, two brothers, two sisters and five grandchildren, according to the report. 

PoliceOne

Apartment Fire In Reseda Knocked Down; 1 Person Injured, Cat Dies

A fire in a three-story garden-style apartment building in Reseda killed a cat Thursday, and one person was injured in a fall while trying to run from the structure, but the flames were contained to a single unit. According to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart, firefighters responded shortly after 4:30 p.m. to the blaze on the second floor of the building in the 19600 block of West Sherman Way. It took 29 firefighters 22 minutes to extinguish the flames. Stewart said two occupants of the burning unit escaped the building uninjured with their dog, but their pet cat was found dead inside the apartment. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

MyNewsLA

Why Is A Public Hospital In L.A. Restraining Psychiatric Patients At High Rates?

Strapping down a psychiatric patient is supposed to be a measure of last resort for medical professionals. Federal law forbids hospitals from physically restraining patients unless they need to prevent patients from harming themselves or others — and only after other steps have failed. So the numbers at L.A. General Medical Center were striking to me and to investigative reporter Ben Poston. The public hospital, which serves some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in L.A. County, has been restraining patients in its locked psychiatric unit at a higher rate than any other inpatient facility in California from 2018 to 2021, federal figures show. In fact, the restraint rate at L.A. General’s Augustus F. Hawkins Mental Health Center was more than 50 times higher than the national average for inpatient psychiatric facilities, ranking it among the highest in the United States during that time. And the numbers have only grown in recent years, doubling between 2020 and 2021.

Los Angeles Times

City Council To Honor Heal The Bay, Vote To Declare `Heal the Bay Day in LA’

The Los Angeles City Council Friday is set to honor Heal the Bay, and consider a resolution that, if approved, would declare Oct. 20 as “Heal the Bay Day in LA” in recognition of two programs established 20 years ago. Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the 11th District, which encompasses L.A.’s coastal neighborhoods on the westside, will lead a presentation honoring Heal the Bay, an environmental nonprofit, for their contributions across the city and the greater L.A. area. The presentation will spotlight the 20th anniversary of the organization’s Bay Aquarium and its Angler Outreach Program. Located at Santa Monica Pier, the Bay Aquarium welcomes 100,000 guests annually and hosts a variety of public programs and events that highlight local environmental issues and solutions. According to the organization, its Angler Outreach Program is designed to educate L.A. and Orange counties’ pier and shore anglers about the risks of consuming fish contaminated with toxins.

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.