Investigation Underway After Man Allegedly Fires Shots At LAPD Officers In Downtown LA

An investigation is underway after a man allegedly fired shots towards police in Downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. It's not clear immediately when the incident happened, but Los Angeles Police Department officers were near 12th Street and San Julian when a man on a bicycle reportedly opened fire in their direction. A suspect was detained a couple of blocks away, police said. They have not yet confirmed if it was the person that they believed fired the shots. No officers were struck by gunfire, but they say that one of their cruisers did suffer some damage. No further information was provided. 

CBS 2

Mayor Karen Bass vetoes ballot proposal to let police chief fire problem officers

Mayor Karen Bass has vetoed a proposed ballot measure to rework the disciplinary process at the Los Angeles Police Department — a step that could result in its removal from the Nov. 5 ballot. In her veto letter to the City Council, Bass said the proposal, which would have allowed the police chief to fire officers accused of some types of serious misconduct, “risks creating bureaucratic confusion” within the LAPD.

On Tuesday, the union’s board of directors issued a statement on the mayor’s veto, saying that Bass “recognizes that our discipline system under the leadership of Deputy Chief Michael Rimkunas is broken and needs to be fixed. We agree and are evaluating the best path forward to creating a fair and impartial system that treats command staff in the same manner as police officers.”

Los Angeles Times

Canoga Park Mom Charged With Murder In Twin Sons' Fentanyl-Related Deaths

A Canoga Park mother has been charged with murder in the deaths of her 3-year-old twin sons who were allegedly exposed to drugs laced with fentanyl, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced. Jestice James is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse/endangerment under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily harm or death. "These innocent boys reportedly came into contact with fentanyl, an opioid that has wreaked havoc across our communities," District Attorney Gascón said. "This tragedy is part of a disturbing trend where babies and toddlers are increasingly becoming victims of the opioid crisis. The deadly capabilities of fentanyl cannot be overstated, and it is our collective responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. My office is committed to holding accountable anyone who exposes vulnerable children to such dangerous substances." Paramedics found both boys unresponsive at a home on July 11. Both were taken to the hospital. Josiah died on July 11, and Jestine died on July 13, according to authorities. 

FOX 11

Woman At Large After Another Metro Bus Driver Assault 

A Metro bus driver was assaulted in downtown Los Angeles early Wednesday morning, according to police. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to KTLA that officers responded to reports of an assault in the area of Broadway and 7th Street just before 1:45 a.m. When officers arrived, they located the bus driver who was assaulted. The extent of their injuries is not currently known. The suspect was described as a Black female; she fled the scene shortly after the assault, and as of 7 a.m., she has not been apprehended. Video posted to the Citizen App shows someone receiving medical treatment on the sidewalk. An LAPD spokesperson told KTLA that they were not hospitalized and that no other injuries were reported.

KTLA 5

Mid-City Home Burglarized: Woman Jumps Out Window To Escape Intruders

A woman jumped out of her window to escape intruders while her Mid-City home was broken into, authorities said. The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at a home along Crescent Heights Boulevard, located near the intersection of Sawyer Street and La Cienega Blvd. The victim thought it was her husband returning home. However, when she went to greet him, she came face to face with two burglars and apparently, they were surprised too. Meanwhile, a third victim was waiting inside a getaway vehicle. That’s when she ran and jumped out of a window to escape. She went to a neighbor's home where she contacted authorities. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department set up a massive search for the suspects who remain at large. Paramedics were called to the scene to see if she suffered injuries when she jumped out of the window. She appeared to be physically OK but was understandably shaken up. Investigators said the burglars managed to get away with some of the victim’s jewelry. 

FOX 11

Change Of Plea Hearing Due For Van Nuys Man Charged In Darknet Drugs Case

A San Fernando Valley man accused of using hidden internet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to federal charges. Brian McDonald, 23, of Van Nuys, has agreed to plead guilty in downtown Los Angeles to two counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. McDonald and a co-defendant were charged in May 2023 in an eight-count criminal indictment alleging that from at least April 2021 until May 2023, they conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via dark web marketplaces such as White House Market, ToRReZ and AlphaBay. McDonald, using aliases such as “Malachai Johnson” and “SouthSideOxy,” created vendor profiles on the marketplaces to deal drugs in exchange for cryptocurrency, the indictment alleges. McDonald monitored and maintained the vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders received online, and offloading cryptocurrency received as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets he managed, prosecutors contend.

MyNewsLA

Gun Shop Burglary Ring Busted After 9-Month Spree Across Southern California

Six men were charged with federal crimes after running a nine-month burglary spree of gun shops across California by using similar tactics to steal hundreds of firearms, the U.S Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, said Tuesday. The men, some of whom are teenagers, are accused of using stolen cars to ram into the stores and make away with dozens of weapons at each burglary scene. They were arrested last Saturday at the home of two of the suspects. During the search of the house, they found dozens of stolen firearms. The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Cross Arjay Goree of Lake Elsinore, 22-year-old Caine Aiden Goree of Lake Elsinore, 19-year-old Brendan Markel Hawkins of Lake Elsinore, 23-year-old Kendall Eric Johnson of Lake Elsinore, 18-year-old Calvin Logan Gray of Murrieta and 19-year-old Kenneth Gilmore III of Las Vegas. Their most recent burglary happened last Saturday when they broke into Fowler’s Gun Room in Orange to deal 70 firearms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

NBC 4

Police Make Arrest In 1991 California Double Murder Case. Was Hidden Gold The Motive?

Investigators thought they knew who committed a brutal double murder in Monterey County 32 years ago but didn’t have enough evidence to make an arrest. That was until Monday, when Monterey County sheriff’s officials arrested an 85-year-old man in the 1991 slaying of George Smith and Eva Thompson. New DNA testing appeared to play a role in the arrest. Monterey County Dist. Atty. Jeannine M. Pacioni announced Tuesday morning that Fresno resident Ira Ulyesses Bastian had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The charges carry special circumstance allegations that Bastian murdered the two victims during a burglary. Bastian pleaded not guilty to both charges in a Salinas courthouse Tuesday, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Matthew L’Heureux. It’s unclear if Bastian was represented by a county public defender. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful. He’s due back in court on July 26 for a preliminary hearing. His arrest, however, was treated as a long overdue victory by the district attorney’s office.

Los Angeles Times

BWC: Man Attacks, Repeatedly Stabs N.Y. Officer Before Fatal OIS

The New York Attorney General’s Office has released body camera footage of a fatal police-involved shooting of a man who tackled an officer while raising a knife, News 12 Long Island reported. The Feb. 17 incident began when Suffolk County Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call, according to the report. The video starts by showing an officer running backward away from a man wielding a knife and a baton. The officer fell backward onto the ground, and the suspect dove on top of him while still holding the weapons, raising the knife. He can then be seen stabbing the officer in the arm. A second officer deployed a TASER moments before a third officer fired his gun, with at least nine shots heard. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, and one of the officers sustained several stab wounds to his arm. Police stated that the officer’s bullet-resistant vest saved his life, according to the report. “The decision by NYS Attorney General Tish James to release the video of this disturbing incident shows that the actions taken by our police officers were more than justified,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine stated. “The only reason we did not lose this officer is due to his protective vest and training. I’m proud to support our men and women in law enforcement who are keeping Suffolk County a safer place to live.”

PoliceOne

Memorial Monument In Texas Honors First Responders Who Have Died By Suicide

The loss of a loved one to death by suicide creates an enduring emptiness for those left behind. This impact is profound for anyone affected by such a tragedy, but it can be especially challenging for the families and colleagues of public safety personnel who die by suicide. Despite efforts to “smash the stigma” of suicide in public service careers, it remains deeply rooted, nonprofit organization First H.E.L.P. states. This is evident in the omission of suicide victims’ names from memorials and monuments, according to First H.E.L.P. First H.E.L.P., a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing mental health stigma for first responders, aims to address this by creating a memorial monument dedicated to honoring the families, colleagues, friends and loved ones affected by first responder and veteran suicide. The organization plans to reveal the memorial at Heroes Memorial Park in Rockwall, Texas on Sept. 21 during the 5th Annual Family Weekend, co-hosted by the Motorola Solutions Foundation and the Quell Foundation, which provides an all-expense-paid retreat for these families.

PoliceOne

100 Firefighters Battle Blaze In West Los Angeles

Battling an intense and rapidly growing fire at a one-story commercial building in West Los Angeles Wednesday, Los Angeles Fire Department crews were able to contain and extinguish the raging flames. Firefighters responded at 12:30 a.m. to 2100 South Bundy Drive near Mississippi Avenue, where they immediately went into defensive mode and due to the intense heat from the fire, fought the blaze from the building’s exterior, said LAFD spokesman Nicholas Prange. It took 100 firefighters 81 minutes to put the fire out. No injuries were reported.

MyNewsLA

Health Officials Warn Against Complacency As COVID Cases Surging Again In L.A.

A summer surge of COVID-19 cases in Southern California comes as many residents become complacent about safe behaviors. Could this be adding to the spike in infections? As a caregiver, Tracey Benson of Inglewood is very protective about her mom's health. All this time she has been able to keep her from getting a COVID infection, but it's getting harder and harder. "We are staying on top of it, but I think others should join and do the same and not be so relaxed," Benson said. Doctors say this relaxed attitude toward COVID may be fueling the spread of the latest variant called FLiRT. "It is quite widespread," said infectious disease specialist Dr. Suman Radhakrishna with Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center. She said the FLiRT variant is 20% more contagious than the original virus, but less likely to cause serious disease, which may be another reason why people are letting their guard down. According to the CDC, California's wastewater has reached a "very high" level for COVID for the first time since last winter. L.A. County health officials said other indicators, such as the number of cases and hospitalizations, have doubled in the last month.

ABC 7

California Remains Short Of Federal Firefighters As Fire Season Ramps Up

As California contends with an era of extreme wildfire, the U.S. Forest Service this summer boosted firefighter staffing in the state for the first time in five years. Still, the number of federal wildland firefighters in California remains greatly diminished after years of hiring challenges, renewing concerns about fire response. The forest service counted 3,785 year-round and seasonal firefighters working in the state as of early July, up by nearly 150 people since last year but down by nearly 1,000 since 2020, according to records obtained by the Chronicle. Agency officials say they’re working to recruit people and, in the meantime, plan to bring firefighters in from other states to fill gaps. However, many in the fire community note that the enduring shortfall makes it harder to stomp out blazes quickly and protect people and property, especially in times of high fire activity. This year has started off busy. With the recent heat wave, the young fire season has rapidly progressed from low-lying grasses and brush to the state’s timber-rich high country, where the purview for firefighting shifts from state and local agencies to the federal government. The capabilities of the forest service will soon be tested.

San Francisco Chronicle

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.