Law Enforcement News

George Santos And Kenny Mejia: The Conman And The Controller
Los Angeles’s own version of disgraced New York Rep. George Santos is alive and well in our newly elected City Controller Kenny Mejia. Like Santos, Kenny reached office by lying to voters about his qualifications and covering up his sordid past. When it comes to Kenny, two and two don’t equal four. Mejia ran as the “…the only CPA in the race for L.A. City Controller”, yet his required state license was inactive or expired on-and-off for years and he only renewed it during the run-up to the controller’s race. It is illegal to practice accounting as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) without a license, so what was Mejia doing all those years when he wasn’t a CPA? As recently as 2021, Mejia was unemployed and using his campaign funds to pay his friends to physically disrupt Mayoral debates. Stellar qualifications to be a fiscal watchdog. Mejia hates cops; his cadre of staff and advisors hate cops; it’s no secret and it is easily confirmed with a cursory look at their hate-filled and vile social media posts. Now as the City Controller, Kenny wants to audit everything LAPD, including the use of helicopters. With all of the issues facing LA, helicopters, yes, helicopters will get a good looking into. What a relief! Kenny’s team is also appearing at protests to “audit” the LAPD’s performance. That’s akin to a group of 5th graders auditing the societal impacts of quantum physics being taught at MIT. Kenny’s minions are randomly showing up at actual protests in action and asking on-duty officers to divert their attention from potential danger to answer questions. Brilliant.
LA Police Protective League

South LA Man Arrested In Fatal Beating, Stabbing Of Girlfriend In Front Of Her Children
A South Los Angeles man has been arrested in the fatal beating and stabbing of his girlfriend in front of her children at their home. Police announced the arrest of Richard Lara, who fled after allegedly beating and stabbing Nicole Santillanes, 38, over the weekend. Lara is the father of two of Santillanes' four children and the two were in an on-off relationship for about 13 years. Family members say she was killed in front of three of her four children, ages 8, 7 and 13, at their apartment complex on Broadway Avenue. She also had a 20-year-old son. "She was like the life of the party. Everybody loved her. She was outgoing. She was very independent," said Ashley Gjurich, Santillanes' sister. Gjurich told ABC7 she found out about her sister's death from Santillanes' 13-year-old daughter.
ABC 7

Panorama City Fatal Pursuit Crash Suspect Has Extensive Criminal Record
Court records revealed that a man accused of killing two people while trying to lose police during a pursuit in Panorama City has an extensive criminal past. The pursuit began in the Westlake area just before 7:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, when Los Angeles police officers spotted a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and engaged in a four-minute chase. The suspect driver "began to take evasive measures to get away from the officers," LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said in a news conference that night. The truck crashed into a Honda Civic in the 13700 block of Lanark Street near Woodman Avenue in Panorama City. The impact mangled the Honda. Hamilton said the officers had transitioned to "tracking mode," meaning they had dropped back from the pursuit moments before the crash. One victim in the Civic was pronounced dead at the scene; the second victim died on the way to the hospital, Hamilton said. The families of the two men identified them following the fatal crash.
CBS 2

Robbers Hit 12+ GameStop Stores In San Fernando Valley; $5,000 Reward Offered
More than a dozen GameStop stores in the San Fernando Valley have been robbed in the last week by a group of armed robbers, and now the chain is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the thieves. "They're armed, and they're forceful, and they're physical and violent. So that's scary, especially for our employees," said Alan Fagergren with GameStop. Security footage showed the scene at a store in Arleta robbed on Monday. The three thieves look like they're posing as customers before bolting into the back and running away with gaming consoles under their arms. LAPD investigators said in this robbery the group threatened the employee saying that they were armed. Employees said the thieves targets are next generation gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5, which are popular targets. Investigators say they can be sold quickly and for a good profit, due to their high demand. The consoles retail for about $500. "It's worth some money. Like I said they're not cheap. Anyone who plays it loves it. We're a target at the moment, yeah," Fagergren said."
FOX 11

Brazen Food Stamp Scammers Steal Millions From L.A.’s Poorest. ‘They’re Hemorrhaging Money’
The two men approached the ATM at 6 a.m. — soon after the state disburses the latest round of cash aid to the lowest-income Californians. They sported dark clothing — one wearing paint-splattered black jeans and the other a zip-up and beanie. For about eight minutes on the morning of Feb. 2, authorities say, they inserted cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer cards — the cards people receiving public benefits use to access their monthly funds — into the slot at a U.S. Bank ATM in Tarzana. The beeps of the machine carried across the street as the machine dispensed stack after stack of other people’s cash. For over a year, authorities say similar scenes have played out with increasing frequency in Southern California, as a ring of organized criminals has stolen people’s personal EBT card information and pilfered their accounts. They strike early in the morning of the first few days of every month — hours, sometimes minutes after the state deposits benefits onto the cards. They do the same with food stamps, which the state also deposits on EBT cards, then rack up mammoth bills at grocery stores.
LA Times

Compton Car-to-Car Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, Another Injured
One person is dead and another person was injured following a car-to-car shooting in Compton Wednesday morning. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the two people who were shot allegedly stole a Mustang from a tow yard in the area near 2100 E. Del Amo Boulevard in Compton. That's when the tow truck driver followed the car and fired shots at the Mustang, hitting the two people inside. The Mustang was able to drive off for a distance but ended up crashing in the area near Avalon Blvd. and 73rd Street in South Los Angeles. One person died at the scene and another was taken to the hospital for treatment. That person's condition is unknown at this time. No suspect information has been released. Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
FOX 11

Man Fatally Shot In Compton
A man was fatally shot Wednesday in Compton. The shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Mayo Avenue, between Alondra and Greenleaf boulevards, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The victim was described only as a man who was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no information on a suspect or what led to the shooting. Anyone with information on the shooting was urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can also be provided to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
MyNewsLA

Encino Chiropractor Gets 2 Years For Defrauding NBA Health Plan
An Encino chiropractor has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years behind bars for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving former NBA players to defraud the basketball league’s health plan, according to court papers. Patrick Khaziran, known to players as Dr. Pat, was also ordered this week by a federal judge in New York City to pay restitution of $1.3 million and forfeit $439,000. For four years ending in 2021, Khaziran and nearly two dozen former NBA players, including Terrence Williams, provided false documentation showing that the ex-pro players received certain medical services when, in fact, the medical services were never provided. “As a medical provider, Patrick Khaziran had a responsibility not to abuse his position of trust,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.
LA Daily News

'Shots Fired! Shots Fired!': Pennsylvania Cop Hailed A Hero For Transporting Gunshot Victim To Hospital
The lightning-fast actions of a West Chester police officer saved the life of an early morning gunshot victim, who would have otherwise died along High Street, near the historic courthouse steps. Within a minute of hearing a single gunshot, Officer Aaron Davis had loaded the unnamed victim into his police car. Within four minutes, the 21-year-old man with a wound to the abdomen was under the care of staff at Chester County Hospital. The shooting victim was later airlifted to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where a surgeon said that if Davis had waited for an ambulance to arrive, the shooting victim would have certainly perished. Moments after arriving at Chester County Hospital, the victim was in cardiac arrest. Extraordinary lifesaving efforts by doctors and nurses began immediately. They located a punctured aorta, stopped the bleeding, and restored a heartbeat. The 21-year-old victim has undergone multiple surgeries and remains in extremely critical condition. West Chester Police Chief Jim Morehead praised Davis, a 19-year veteran officer, for his quick thinking.
Daily Local News

Video: Memphis Cop Speaks Out After Stopping New 17-Year-Old Father From Jumping Off Bridge
The Memphis officer from the viral social media photo that shows her coaxing a distressed 17-year-old away from the edge of a bridge is speaking out. Officer Tina Shaw responded to a person standing alone at the edge of a bridge overlooking the Mississippi River recently. After speaking with the individual, Shaw learned the 17-year-old was contemplating jumping off the bridge due in part to the stress of becoming a new father. Shaw spoke with ABC 24 News to offer more details about the incident. “The Spirit just led me to go there to see what was going on there and who all was there,” Shaw told the news outlet. Shaw recalled the tense moment when she first saw the teen dangling over the edge: “I got out and at this point, he was already over the ledge. He was hanging over the ledge and then he finally went all the way over. Turned his body facing the water.” She began a dialogue by asking him what brought him to this point.
PoliceOne

Public Safety News

65-Year-Old Man Critically Injured In East Hollywood Bungalow Fire
A 65-year-old man suffered severe burn injuries Wednesday evening in a fire in East Hollywood. The man was found unconscious outside a burning bungalow in the 1300 block of North Hobart Boulevard, near Fountain Avenue, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. He was hospitalized in critical condition, Humphrey said. The fire in one unit at the rear of a row of one-story residential bungalows was extinguished in 20 minutes by 36 firefighters, with the knockdown declared at 8:35 p.m., Humphrey said. There were no other injuries.
MyNewsLA

Several Students Taken To Hospital After Unspecified Illness At Tarzana School
Several students at a San Fernando Valley public school were hospitalized Wednesday after they reported feeling sick, according to officials. The Los Angeles School Police Department received reports that a group of students was suffering a medical incident at Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, a public magnet school in Tarzana, said Lt. Nina Buranasombati of the Los Angeles School Police Department. The school requested medical assistance out of an “abundance of caution,” Buranasombati said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a call at 18605 Erwin St. in Tarzana at 10:24 a.m. Wednesday. Seven minors had “unspecified” symptoms and illness, said Brian Humphrey, spokesperson for Los Angeles Fire Department.
LA Times

9 Cars Destroyed After Raging Fire Rips Through Carport In Hollywood
Nine cars were destroyed after a massive fire ripped through a carport in Hollywood overnight. The fire was reported around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday on Laurel Canyon near Hollywood Boulevard, authorities said. Firefighters rushed to the scene to extinguish the inferno. Video shows the flames engulfing the structure and vehicles, though they were confined to the carport and did not spread. They did, however, reach the power lines above the carport. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire unknown. This comes after another carport fire that broke out less than a mile away on Fountain Avenue in West Hollywood Tuesday night. Three cars were burned in that incident. It's unclear if the two are related in any way.
ABC 7

Fire Destroys 7-Eleven, Laundromat At Hollywood Strip Mall
A 7-Eleven and laundromat were destroyed early Thursday in a fire at a Hollywood strip mall. The fire in the 1800 block fo North Cahuenga Boulevard, just south of Franklin Avenue, was reported at about 2 a.m. The fire burned for almost 90 minutes before flames were extinguished. No injuries were reported. Details about how the fire started were not immediately available.
NBC 4

Local Government News

L.A. County Approves $600M For Homeless Initiatives
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved more $600 million for homeless initiatives in the region. It’s a record-setting plan to combat the issue, which Sup. Katheryn Barger said is “plaguing” the county. The focus will be on moving people out of homeless encampments and into housing, increasing mental health and substance abuse treatment for the homeless and providing thousands of interim housing beds to move people into more suitable environments.
KTLA 5