Hit-and-run driver kills pedestrian in Panorama City; $50,000 reward offered for info
Law Enforcement News
Hit-and-run driver kills pedestrian in Panorama City; $50,000 reward offered for info
Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who killed a pedestrian in Panorama City. On Feb. 5, Los Angeles police officers responded to a crash near Roscoe Boulevard and Lennox Avenue around 2 a.m. The pedestrian was crossing Roscoe Boulevard when he was hit by a driver in a silver Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck. The driver sped away from the scene without stopping to check on the injured victim. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. His identity was not released. Police are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s identification and arrest. Anyone with information about the deadly crash is asked to call LAPD Detective Barragan at 213-840-2307 or Officer Hansen at 818-644-8255. During non-business hours or on weekends, the public can call 1-877-LAPD-24-7.
LAPD investigates North Hollywood shooting that injured teenager in the eye
Los Angeles Police on Thursday were looking for the suspects who shot and wounded a 17-year-old male in North Hollywood, authorities said. The shooting was reported just after 8 p.m. in the 11000 block of Kittridge Street, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Jader Chaves. The victim, a 17-year-old male, was struck in the eye by gunfire and was transported to a hospital. His condition was not immediately available. Police said four males between 17 and 18 years old fled the area toward Vanowen Street in a black Honda Accord. A firearm was used in the shooting, authorities said. No arrests have been made, and the firearm has not been recovered, police said.
One in Custody After Mid City Stabbing
A person was stabbed in the Mid City section of Los Angeles Thursday and a suspect was taken into custody. The stabbing was reported about 9:25 a.m. Thursday in the 5900 block of Venice Boulevard, near the Kaiser Permanente medical facility at Fairfax Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The victim went to a hospital without being transported. No details about that person’s age, gender or condition were immediately available. A suspect described only as a male was taken into custody, an LAPD spokesman said. It was unclear if a weapon was recovered, and a possible motive was not disclosed. Some streets in the area were closed down as police investigated the stabbing.
Suspect leads LAPD on dangerous, 100 mph high-speed chase through San Fernando Valley
A suspect who was believed to be armed led police on a dangerous, high-speed chase Thursday night through the San Fernando Valley, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. ABC7 began monitoring the pursuit around 8 p.m. At one point, the suspect was driving over 100 mph while fleeing from officers on the 210 Freeway. The chase didn't last long. The driver pulled over near Sayre Street and Borden Avenue, bringing the chase to an end in Sylmar. That's where officers took the suspect into custody.
Four Suspects At-Large After South LA Armed Robbery
Four suspects were being sought after allegedly committing an armed robbery Thursday in South Los Angeles. Officers responded shortly before 6:50 p.m. Thursday near West 43rd and Hoover streets to reports regarding an armed robbery, according to the Los Angeles police Department. Police said that four male suspects fled the scene upon arrival in a white Chrysler and were last seen heading westbound on West 43rd Street toward Menlo Avenue. The suspects were described as men between 20 and 30 years old. Detectives determined after a preliminary investigation that the weapon used during the heist was an handgun. AirPods and clothing were stolen. No additional information regarding suspects or theft was immediately available.
Pokémon card shops across Southern California see increase in thefts as demand for collectibles grows
Criminals aren't just smashing display cases to get jewelry, fine art, or even cash; they're after one of the most valuable and most expensive collectibles of the moment, Pokémon cards. As the demand for the cards grows, shops across Southern California are becoming a major target. "There's jewelry stores, there's fashion stores, there's banks and there's collectible stores, and unfortunately, collectibles have become so valuable and so popular that they've now joined the ranks of a watch store or a jewelry store that makes itself a target," said Ken Goldin, the owner of an auction house. Goldin owns Goldin, an online auction house for trading cards, collectibles and memorabilia. He also stars in his own Netflix series called "King of Collectibles: 'The Golden Touch.'" People bid millions of dollars for Pokémon cards on his website, put up for auction by influencers with tens of millions of followers, like WWE wrestler Logan Paul.
Scammers are targeting people looking for love for Valentine's Day, FBI warns
Ahead of the most romantic holiday of the year, authorities Thursday warned people to be extra cautious on dating websites, apps or social media as scammers are looking to take advantage of people looking for love. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said online romance scams, also known as confidence fraud, become more prevalent around Valentine's Day as fraudsters use a fake identity to gain victims' trust with the goal of stealing their money. The FBI said criminals behind romance scams tend to try to establish a relationship quickly by overwhelming someone with intense affection and attention first. Some may even propose marriage and make plans to meet in person --- but only to ask for money. Romance scammers also try to avoid meeting in person by coming up with various excuses or claiming they live or work in other parts of the world or country. “Romance scams can have a devastating impact on hearts as well as bank accounts” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Anyone looking for love in cyberspace should make sure they keep their feet on the ground by educating themselves about the risks.
‘I will shoot': BWC shows woman point gun at Nevada State Police troopers before OIS
A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper fired a shot into a woman’s vehicle after she pointed a gun and said “I will shoot” during a traffic stop in Las Vegas, a Highway Patrol official said Wednesday while also showing body camera footage of the confrontation. Barbara Lu, 51, of Montana, was taken into custody just before 1 a.m. Sunday on an Interstate 15 on-ramp at St. Rose Parkway, Highway Patrol Col. Michael Edgell said in a news conference. She had been pulled over after running a red light, Edgell said. Trooper body camera footage played at the news conference showed the shooting as well as moments leading up to and after it. The bullet fired by the trooper went through the driver’s side window and the vehicle’s windshield. The video showed a dog from Lu’s vehicle lunging at one of the troopers as Lu — who is heard screaming in the footage — refused to get out of her vehicle, Edgell said. Moments later, a trooper dash cam video showed two troopers outside Lu’s closed driver’s side door as one attempted to break the window. In body camera footage from another trooper, that trooper can be heard saying “she’s got a gun” before he darted to the back area of the vehicle.
Public Safety News
Man suffers minor injuries in incident involving LAX People Mover train system
The Los Angeles Fire Department reports that a man was injured in an incident involving Los Angeles International Airport’s Automated People Mover (APM) train system Thursday afternoon. Fire crews responded to LAX in Westchester for an injury call at 1:18 p.m. They say a 36-year-old man suffered minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. No further details were provided about how the man was injured. He’s believed to have been working on the People Mover project when the incident happened. Sky 5 flew over the scene just after 2 p.m. but did not see any kind of response from L.A. fire units. The Automated People Mover is a new train system that will soon provide access to terminals, parking pickup and drop-off at LAX. When finished, it’s anticipated that 30 million passengers per year will use the APM when it opens, which will result in an estimated 117,000 fewer vehicle miles traveled per day.
LA Hospital Needs Help Identifying Man Found Wandering in Beverly-Fairfax Area
Hospital officials Thursday asked for the public’s help identifying a man in his mid-70s who was brought to Los Angeles General Medical Center nearly a month ago. The patient was brought to the facility on Jan. 15 after being found wandering in the area of Fairfax and Colgate avenues in the Beverly-Fairfax neighborhood, according to officials with Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, which runs the hospital. The man is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 191 pounds and has short black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about the patient was urged to call Senior Clinical Social Worker Dayanira Daya at 323-409-8716 or Medical Case Worker Delia Rascon at 323-409-3782.
Local Government News
LA city councilmembers to announce motion for streetlight repairs
Los Angeles city councilmembers are expected to provide details on a motion on Friday regarding street light outages impacting neighborhoods across LA. Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky of Council District 5 and Councilwoman Traci Park of Council District 11 gathered available discretionary funds to establish a repair team during a time of ongoing citywide budget constraints and hundreds of pending repair cases for city streetlights, according to a press release from the city. Copper wire theft has also been the cause for nearly half of the outages, the release stated, increasing the concern for public safety. “This is not a minor nuisance – darkened blocks increase the risk of traffic collisions, property crime, and hazards for pedestrians, while also hindering emergency responders who rely on adequate lighting during calls for service,” the release stated. In a planned press conference Friday, councilmembers are expected to announce new actions and introduce a motion that would allocate funds to accelerate the repair of streetlights in neighborhoods in the west side of the city. According to the city, CD5 and CD11 do not have access to AB 1290 funds, discretionary tax increment dollars that many districts rely on for local infrastructure and public safety improvements, unlike every other council district in the city.
