Law Enforcement News

Friends, Family, Colleagues Rally Around LAPD Officer And Wife With Stage 4 Cancer
A motor officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and his wife were diagnosed with stage four cancer just weeks apart, and now the law enforcement community, friends and loved ones are rallying around the family of four. Colleagues said that 49-year-old Michael Tomelloso was caring for his wife, Laura, who was diagnosed with colon cancer, when he found out that he has throat cancer. “I can’t imagine two parents being down, trying to take care of two children,” family friend Carrie Cellini told KTLA’s Kimberly Cheng. Laura was first diagnosed in February 2022. Just a few months later, in June, Tomelloso learned of his diagnosis. The motor officer’s work family has been trying to rally as much support as they can. “Now that he’s also unable to work, it’s created just a lot of hardship,” Sgt. Jeanna Quinones, with LAPD’s Central Traffic Division, said.
KTLA 5

Homeless Man Shot And Killed In Hollywood; 6 Detained
A man believed to be homeless was shot and killed in Hollywood overnight and authorities sought the public's help in identifying the suspect. The Los Angeles Police Department received a call about multiple shots being fired at 2:40 a.m. Monday near the intersection of Vine Street and La Mirada Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, they found 23-year-old Deshawn Townsel suffering from gunshot wounds on the sidewalk near a homeless encampment. Officers attempted lifesaving measures until paramedics arrived. However, Townsel was declared dead at the scene. Investigators said at least six people from the homeless encampment were detained, and no arrests have been announced. The investigation is ongoing.
FOX 11

LAPD officer unjustified in shooting that killed girl, 14
The rifle-wielding Los Angeles Police Department officer who shot a man and a 14-year-old girl inside a North Hollywood clothing store last year was found to have violated department policy Tuesday for at least some of the rounds he fired. The Los Angeles Police Commission found the first shot Officer William Dorsey Jones fired at Daniel Elena Lopez, who after beating a woman with a bike lock was standing at the opposite end of a clothing aisle inside the Burlington Coat Factory on Victory Boulevard in December 2021, was covered under LAPD’s rules for officers using lethal force. However, the second and third shots he fired did not follow LAPD policy, the Commission found. In his own ruling, LAPD Chief Michel Moore found that all of Jones’ shots were out of policy. With the three shots, Jones killed both Elena Lopez and Valentina Orellana-Peralta, the high school freshman hiding inside a stall in the store’s dressing rooms just behind where Elena Lopez was standing. At least one of the bullets pierced the dressing room walls and hit the girl, who was huddling with her mother.
Mercury News

Victim In Fatal Stabbing Found At Downtown LA Metro Train Stop
A 25-year-old man was fatally stabbed Wednesday morning at a Metro train station near Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles. Police responded at about 1 a.m. to the area near Fifth and Hill streets where they found the man suffering from stab wounds on the train platform. He died at a hospital. It was not immediately clear whether the stabbing occurred at the station. Authorities are reviewing security camera video. The station was closed during the investigation. No arrests were reported early Wednesday. Metro trains were skipping Pershing Square station early Wednesday due to the police investigation.
NBC 4

Standoff Ends Hours After LAPD Deploys SWAT Team To Reseda Neighborhood; Suspect In Custody
A 33-year-old man was taken into custody Tuesday morning after Los Angeles police attempted to serve a warrant at a home in a Reseda neighborhood and an hourslong standoff ensued. The suspect's identity was not immediately released. He surrendered to authorities without incident, following a massive deployment of officers that included a SWAT team. The man was wanted in connection with a criminal threat. Neighbors say he threatened a DWP worker. The incident occurred in the 6700 block of Belmar Avenue, where officers arrived about 7 a.m. with at least two armored vehicles and a mobile command post. The block was closed to traffic during the operation. Before the suspect was taken into custody, video from AIR7 HD showed police officers positioned outside a single-story house and at multiple positions nearby.
ABC 7

15-Year-Old Arrested In Armed Theft Of 2 French Bulldogs On 6th Street Bridge
A 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of an armed robbery in Boyle Heights during which two French bulldogs were stolen, Los Angeles police said Tuesday. The robbery occurred around 12:30 a.m. Nov. 12 as two people were walking their dogs along the 6th Street Bridge. They were approached by a male suspect who pointed a pistol at the victims, took the two dogs and fled in a vehicle, police said. The suspect, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, was arrested Nov. 16, but the bulldogs have not been found, according to the LAPD. The 15-year-old was charged with two counts of armed robbery Friday in juvenile court by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, police said.
LA Times

Robbers Make Off With $1 Million In Jewelry After Home Invasion In Hollywood Hills, Police Say
Robbers made off with about $1 million worth of high-end jewelry after a home invasion early Wednesday morning in the Hollywood Hills, authorities said. The crime was reported about 3 a.m. at a residence in the 3000 block of Multiview Drive, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. As many as four armed intruders with masks took the jewelry from a victim, who suffered an unspecified injury in the encounter. The victim was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but was not transported to a hospital, an LAPD spokesperson said. The suspects fled after the robbery and remained at large. No descriptions of the robbers or their possible vehicle were immediately available.
ABC 7

LAPD Warns Public Against Participating In Street Takeovers In New Campaign
As dangerous street takeovers and illegal street racing events continue to happen across Los Angeles, police are now warning the public not to participate. Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Oreb and other department officials held a news conference Tuesday to discuss a "Project Safe Streets" public service announcement aimed at combating recent increases in street takeovers in various parts of the city. The message comes as nearly four million Southern Californians will be hitting the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday. "The pain never goes away," said Lili Trujillo Puckett Tuesday. "You just learn to live with it." Her 16-year-old daughter, Valentina, died when her friend, who was giving her a ride home, got into a street race. The SUV crashed, killing Valentina.
CBS 2

Man Seen On Camera Exposing Himself In Front Of Young Girls At South LA Laundromat
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department launched an investigation after a man allegedly exposed himself to two little girls at a laundromat in South Los Angeles. The incident was captured on surveillance cameras at Bonita Coin Laundry on South Normandie Avenue on Monday afternoon. Sheriff's deputies said they were informed about the indecent exposure incident and the surveillance video and then followed up with the family of the little girls who then filed a police report. One of the laundromat's employees, who did not want to be identified, said the laundromat is a family-friendly business and has a designated kids area to help parents. Several laundromat customers told FOX 11 that it is known to be family oriented. "This is a family laundry place and we got a lot of people coming in here, a lot of good people, and a lot of kids coming in here. We have an area for the kids, so the parents can actually do their laundry and the kids can play and they don't have to worry about them, but you can't trust anybody anymore," said the employee.
FOX 11

Man Tossed Over Railing After Violent Brawl Breaks Out At SoFi Stadium
A violent fight broke out in the SoFi Stadium parking lot on Sunday after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers. Video captured by a witness who did not want to be identified shows two men aggressively fighting, moments before one man was thrown over the side of a railing. He was seen falling 10-15 feet below before hitting the concrete floor. Witnesses say the altercation started after the two men bumped into each other and exchanged heated words. While they were fighting, a third man is seen suddenly intervening and swiftly tossing the victim over the railing. After landing on his backside, the victim is seen slowly standing up. He appeared to be disoriented as he slowly regained his composure and got back onto his feet. It’s unclear whether that man or anyone else suffered injuries during the altercation. The case remains under investigation by Inglewood Police.
KTLA 5

Inmate Charged With Attempted Murder After Brutally Attacking Deputy With Phone
A Harford County Detention Center inmate has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly assaulting a correctional deputy Sunday night. Cpl. Michael Vesek, of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office,was supervising inmate Matthew Tingler around 8 p.m. Sunday while Tingler, 38, made a phone call, according to a news release. Tingler became agitated during the call and struck Vesek, a 24-year veteran of the county sheriff’s office, in the face with the phone receiver multiple times, knocking Vesek to the ground. Tingler continued striking Vesek in the head and face with the phone and a portable radio, the release said. Tingler then wrapped the phone cord around Vesek’s neck before attempting to strangle the partially conscious deputy with his hands, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies responded after hearing Vesek yelling for help and gained control of the inmate. Vesek was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for treatment and was released Monday, the sheriff’s office said. Tingler has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, multiple assault charges and reckless endangerment.
Baltimore Sun

Six People Killed By Employee In Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart Shooting, Police Say; Suspect Also Dead
An employee of a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia, opened fire on colleagues Tuesday evening, killing six people and wounding four more at the retail outlet before turning the gun on himself, the city's Police Chief Mark Solesky said Wednesday morning. Officers were dispatched to an active threat situation at the Walmart Supercenter at 10:12 p.m. local time, Chesapeake police spokesperson Leo Kosinski told reporters at the scene Tuesday evening. Solesky said officers were on the scene within two minutes, entered the store two minutes after that and within just about an hour they had cleared the store and located all of the victims. The suspect was also found dead and police were not seeking anyone else in connection with the shooting. Solesky said the suspected employee was found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. He said a pistol was used in the shooting. The suspect was not identified, pending notification of his next of kin, according to the police chief.
CBS 2

Public Safety News

Firefighters Discover Body After Extinguishing Structure Fire In South Los Angeles
Firefighters discovered a dead woman's body inside of a garage fire in South Los Angeles on Tuesday. According to Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire was first reported at around 4 p.m. on W. 88th Place. When crews arrived, they found a homes detached garage engulfed in flames. It took 22 firefighters 17 minutes to extinguish the fire in the garage, which had reportedly been converted to a living space. "Sadly, one adult female was found deceased inside the structure," LAFD Spokesperson Nicholas Prange said in a statement. The woman's identity was not immediately known. Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire.
CBS 2

LAFD Announces First Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Bureau
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti along with Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced the Los Angeles Fire Department's first-ever Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Bureau Tuesday. The bureau's mission will be focused on ensuring a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace for all. It is expected to be up and running in Jan. 2023 with a full staff working to guarantee that the department is committed to engaging diverse voices while also respecting the humanity of its members. "We believe in, and are committed to, justice in Los Angeles — and we focus an equity lens on every aspect of our work," Garcetti said in a statement. "The Bureau of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion will help to ensure that our progress is permanent and we’re always moving forward with a city government and institutions that reflect and value our diversity."
NBC 4

Los Angeles County’s COVID Hospitalizations Back Over 700
The number of coronavirus patients in Los Angeles County hospitals has surpassed 700 amid rising infection rates, according to the latest state data. There were 727 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Tuesday’s update, up from 681 Saturday. Of those patients, 88 were being treated in intensive care, up from 77. The number of statewide COVID-positive patients increased by 98 to 2,581. Health officials have said previously that roughly 40% of virus patients were actually admitted for COVID-related issues, while the rest were admitted for other reasons but tested positive at the hospital. The county Department of Public Health reported 1,661 new COVID-19 infections Tuesday, raising the overall number from throughout the pandemic to 3,521,712.
MyNewsLA

Local Government News

LA City Council Resumes Meetings After Week-Long Break, Protesters Pack Council Chambers
The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday returned to the chamber after more than a week off, and protesters did as well, delaying the meeting by more than an hour. Dozens of protesters were chanting and shouting, demanding that Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo resign before the city conducts its business. Neither de León nor Cedillo -- who remain in office despite widespread calls to step down over their roles in the City Hall racism scandal -- was present Tuesday. Council President Paul Krekorian almost immediately ejected protesters as they began chanting at the start of the meeting. But after protesters continued to linger and chant, Krekorian ordered the chamber cleared and a 20- minute recess.
CBS 2

L.A. City Council Passes Law To Give Retail Workers With Erratic Hours More Stability
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday passed a new law that requires large retailers to give employees their work schedule at least two weeks in advance — a move designed to give laborers more certainty about their hours. The law, known as the Fair Work Week ordinance, also requires businesses to give workers at least 10 hours’ rest between shifts or provide extra pay for that work. Software used by retail stores can predict consumer demand, allowing employers to boost or pare back on staff. But that can mean erratic schedules for workers, labor leaders and activists say. The new law was pushed by the labor-aligned group Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, or LAANE, and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. San Francisco, Seattle, New York and other cities have passed similar measures.
LA Times