Gascón Helped Give L.A. Teen Second Chance After Killing. Now, He’s Accused In New Homicide.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s reform-minded outlook on juvenile justice seemed made for someone like Denmonne Lee. When he was 16, Lee took part in an Antelope Valley gas station robbery that ended in the death of former Marine John Ruh. Lee, who was acquainted with the victim, had planned the 2018 robbery and provided a weapon to his co-defendant, according to court records. Although Lee wasn’t the shooter, he was charged with murder. But when Gascón took office two years later, as Lee’s case was making its way through the court system, he barred prosecutors from trying juveniles as adults. Lee was convicted and ordered held at the county’s Secure Youth Treatment Facility in Sylmar until he turned 25. Lee “responded very well” to programs in custody, authorities said. Within a year, probation officials moved him from the high-security Sylmar facility into a rehabilitation-focused setting in Malibu. After being released to a halfway house last June, Lee enrolled in community college and found work at a local nonprofit. And then, in April, he was arrested and charged with playing a major role in another homicide. The case has given Gascón’s critics an opportunity to directly link the progressive district attorney’s policies to a violent crime that some argue could have been prevented had Lee faced a stiffer penalty in adult court. Nathan Hochman, Gascón’s opponent as he seeks reelection in November, has spent significant time shouting out high-profile crimes that he contends are symptoms of the incumbent’s policies.

Los Angeles Times

LAPD Offers $25K Reward After LA Christian Bookstore Owner Shot And Left Paralyzed

A husband and father was left paralyzed after being shot outside his Christian bookstore. The shooting happened months ago, but with no suspects behind bars, investigators are now offering a reward. The gunman left Luis Hernandez, 41, paralyzed from the waist down. The Los Angeles Police Department announced a $25,000 reward obtained from the L.A. City Council for anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. The shooting happened on April 6 at around 9 p.m. near Alvarado Street and Clinton Street, near MacArthur Park. Investigators say Hernandez and his wife had just locked up their bookstore and he was dashing to get to his three small children waiting nearby in the couple's car. They say Hernandez heard two people arguing before shots rang out. "Afraid that his children could possibly be caught in the crossfire, he retreats back towards the sidewalk. As he's walking through the sidewalk he hears the gunshot, feels the burning sensation, collapses on the sidewalk and his wife and additional witnesses in the area call 911," said LAPD Officer Christian Marroquin.

ABC 7

USC Student Will Not Face Charges In Deadly Stabbing On Greek Row, Prosecutors Say

The University of Southern California student who fatally stabbed a man he says he saw trying to break into a car will not face criminal charges, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Thursday. Ivan Gallegos, 19, and two other people approached Xavier Cerf, 27, in the 700 block of West 28th Street around 8:15 p.m. Monday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Cerf was not breathing when officers arrived. Gallegos told investigators he killed Cerf in self-defense, believing that Cerf was armed with a gun, according to documents from the DA's office. Gallegos and two other men with him said that Cerf told them he had a gun and appeared to be reaching for one when Gallegos then stabbed him. It turned out that Cerf was not armed. LAPD has said Cerf was believed to be homeless but his uncle, Detorrian Jones, told KCAL News he was not homeless and struggled with mental health issues. Gallegos stabbed Cerf multiple times and remained at the scene before being detained by officers, police said. He was initially held on $2 million bail. Police said the two men with Gallegos were questioned and later released. According to charging documents from the DA's office, Gallegos admitted to stabbing Cerf and said he was armed with a knife because the area is dangerous and there have been violent crimes against students.

CBS 2

Armed Suspect In Standoff With LAPD In Tarzana Found Dead

An armed suspect who was in a standoff with Los Angeles Police Department officers for nearly 17 hours in Tarzana was found dead Friday. Police were called to the 5700 block of Etiwanda Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Thursday regarding a domestic violence call, the LAPD said. An LAPD SWAT team was called to the scene to assist with negotiating a surrender. The suspect was found dead at 3 a.m. Friday inside the residence, LAPD Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service. There were no further details.

MyNewsLA

Woman Declared Brain-Dead, Husband Battered After Homeless Attack At A Boyle Heights McDonald's

After a brutal, unprovoked attack by a homeless man at a McDonald's drive-through in Boyle Heights that left 74-year-old Jose Juan Rangel battered and bruised and his wife Maria Guadalupe Vargas Luna brain-dead, the family has received yet another blow. This time, the LA County District Attorney George Gascón's office states they plan to file a motion to dismiss the most severe charge against Charles Green, a felony count, and only keep the lesser charge of misdemeanor battery. "The DA, in my opinion, is brushing it off. They're not really seeing the big picture of what impact the injuries that my dad and my stepmother suffered," says Veronica Rangel, the elderly couple's daughter. In an email, the Deputy District Attorney explained: "The evidence does not establish proof of an intentional act that resulted in Ms. Vargas' fall." Rangel adds, "They said that he didn't intend to push her, that it was an accident." In the video, you can see the defendant attacking Jose. They're on the ground, and when Vargas tries to help her husband, she is pushed by the scuffle, falls, and hits her head on the concrete.

FOX 11

Man Abuses Dog On Venice Boardwalk, Civilians Spring Into Action

An animal cruelty suspect was held down by civilians on the Venice Beach Boardwalk until police arrived, the Los Angeles Police Department said today. Just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, the suspect, only described as a man, was seen choking his dog near the 1800 block of Ocean Front Walk, police said. A handful of concerned people on the boardwalk sprung into action, saving the animal’s life and holding the man down until police arrived, according to authorities. Police arrived, but could not find the dog. The animal likely fled the scene after being so frightened. As for the suspect, an ambulance was requested for him as he had a laceration on his head due to being held down by numerous people, the LAPD said. Police advised the suspect, and no arrests were made. 

Westside Current

Wild Street Takeover In Los Angeles Draws Hundreds Of Spectators

A wild street takeover in the Mission Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles drew hundreds of spectators overnight Thursday and into Friday. Video captured by stringer service Key News Network showed vehicles doing burnouts and donuts at the intersection of Devonshire Street and Woodman Avenue. One of the vehicles, a pickup truck, lost a wheel in the process but kept going, causing sparks to fly up in the process. Nearly 200 spectators attended the takeover. Those in attendance were seen pointing lasers and shooting fireworks off at the scene. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at the scene about 15 minutes after it started, however no arrests were made. No other details were immediately made available.

KTLA 5

LA County Sees Surge In Hate Crimes Against LGBTQ+ Community

As a recent report showed crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community are on the rise, the LA County Human Relations Commission Thursday hosted a public forum to raise awareness during Pride Month. The agency also released a PSA to draw attention to the alarming surge in hate. “I had a classmate once tell me that my life could be ended because of who I am,” said transgender and HIV healthcare advocate Mallery Robinson. “When I advocated for myself as a trans youth in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2006, I was a sophomore. I felt it was important to raise awareness.” Robinson, who was part of the PSA, hopes her story will encourage more people to join the conversation to end hate. The LA County Human Relations Commission’s most recent data from 2022 showed there were 44 anti-transgender crimes, the largest number ever collected, with more than 90% violent. The report also revealed more than 80% of the crimes motivated by sexual orientation targeted gay men. “It’s not enough to make unilateral decisions for any community without input from the community. You need that input from the community, so when we are making the policies, they are informed by people with lived experiences,” said LA County Human Relations consultant Paul Smith.

NBC 4

For 2nd Time This Month, South Carolina K-9 Dies While Trying To Help Arrest Suspect

For the second time this month, a police dog has been killed while trying to help arrest a suspect in South Carolina. A Richland County Sheriff’s Department dog named Wick was struck and killed by a car on Interstate 77 early Thursday when his leash broke and he chased a suspect who ran across the highway, Sheriff Leon Lott said. Deputies had been chasing the suspect after discovering him driving a stolen car. He ran after officers flattened his tires using stop sticks, Lott said. Wick’s leash broke apart after he jumped over a barrier, something Lott said Thursday afternoon he has never heard happen to a police dog. Investigators are still looking for the suspect, the sheriff said. Wick was a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois and had worked with the sheriff’s department for over a year. Wick’s body was draped in an American flag and dozens of officers, many with police dogs sitting by their sides, saluted as he was taken from an emergency vet to a funeral home in a procession Thursday morning. At least six states, including South Carolina, had bills in their legislatures this year with stiffer penalties for hurting or killing police dogs, although critics of the proposals point out a long history of harassment involving police dogs in marginalized communities and serious dog-bite injuries during arrests.

Associated Press

Hiker Rescued By Firefighters In Studio City

A hiker who fell near Mulholland Drive in Studio City Wednesday night was rescued by firefighters. The rescue happened around 9:30 p.m. at Mulholland Drive and Skyline Drive between Laurel Canyon and Coldwater Canyon. Firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department were on the scene assisting the hiker. Firefighters said a man fell roughly 50-feet down a steep slope and was saved with the help of two search and rescue helicopters. Around 9:45 p.m., firefighters successfully pulled the man to safety. He was not injured. 

CBS 2

Triple-Digit Heat Expected In LA County Starting Friday

Some parts of Los Angeles County will see triple-digit heat beginning Friday and continuing into early next week, leading the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory over the weekend. It will be in effect from 10 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. Sunday for the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, where forecasters said temperatures could reach as high as 101 degrees. Experts said it is important to drink plenty of water and protect your skin from the heat. "One sunburn in your lifetime can double your chances of getting melanoma," said Dr. Anna Guanche, a dermatologist and founder of the Bella Skin Institute. "Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer." She said the UV Index will determine how likely your chance of getting a sunburn during a heat wave can be. "If the UV Index is between 3 and 5, it could take 30-45 minutes to burn," she added. "If it is 11 or more the damage can occur in less than 10 minutes." An excessive heat watch will be in place from Saturday morning through Sunday evening in the San Gabriel Mountains, the Antelope Valley foothills and the 14 Freeway corridor.

CBS 2

How To Best Prevent And Prepare For California's Peak Wildfire Season

Southern Californians in fire-prone areas are being warned to prepare for peak wildfire season as temperatures grow warmer during the summer. The Los Angeles Fire Department said rising temperatures pose an increased risk for wildfires, especially in drier areas that have a good amount of brush nearby. “This is what we call ‘light, flashy fuel,’” Erik Scott, Personal Information Officer for LAFD, said. “You can see it’s just very, very dry. Very brittle, very susceptible to a spark. It’s this type of stuff that worries us.” What Scott is describing is dry brush commonly seen throughout the Southland. In some areas, particularly canyon communities, they are more prominent and fuller. With temperatures getting warmer, it creates even drier brush. “You get an increased temperature, it’s going to reduce the moisture so you’re going to have a low, relative humidity and it dries everything out,” Scott said. That, combined with gusty winds, creates a dangerous combination that contributes to wildfires. “Then, you have flames that are moving like a freight train,” Scott said of when the two come together. According to Scott, the best thing residents can do to keep safe from fires is to control the brush in their area. “You provide the defense, we’ll provide the offense,” he said. “If you do the defensible space ... you see a clear, delineated line where there is not thick brush, that is going to really slow fire because fire is going to move uphill."

NBC 4

LA City Council To Consider Plan To Save Beloved `El Burro’ At El Pueblo

The Los Angeles City Council Friday is expected to save a long-time beloved attraction, known as “El Burro,” located at El Pueblo, after its owners ran into issues with the leasing contract. Council members will consider backing a motion introduced by Councilman Kevin de Leon that, if approved, would request the Board of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Authority Commissioners to immediately consider the leasing agreement with puesto P-04, operated by La Cerreta at Placita Olvera. The goal is to add the owners, Richard Hernandez Chase and Patricia Josefina Hernandez, onto the lease. La Carreta was founded in the late 1960s by Jesus “Don Chuy” Hernandez and his wife Maria Trancito Hernandez. Visitors to La Carreta could get photos with the family’s pet donkey, Cirila. The burro was later replaced by a “Jorge,” a life-sized stuffed burro. The stuffed burro is known by many residents of the city, and has attracted visitors to El Pueblo.

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.