LAPD Sergeant Helps 14-Year-Old Runner Cross Finish Line At LA Marathon

A Los Angeles police sergeant went the extra mile to help a young runner cross the finish line at Sunday's L.A. Marathon. "For me, I wanted to help him make sure that he achieves his goal," said LAPD Sgt. Jay Balgemino. The officer was stationed less than half a mile from the finish line when he said witnesses saw the 14-year-old pass out from the rigorous run. That's when Balgemino rushed to help. Video shows the officer carrying the boy in his arms. "The first thing he asked was, 'Did I finish?' so me and his sister kind of guided him towards the path to see if he could finish it. Towards the end, I wanted him to do it on his own, so he can cross the finish line on his own, but his legs just gave out, so I just carried him and took him to the finish line." The moment they crossed that finish line, the boy was elated, a moment Balgemino will never forget. "He was so happy. He was really happy that he finished," said Balgemino. 

ABC 7

Shooter At Large After Man Fatally Shot In South LA

The search was continuing for a shooting suspect after a 25-year-old man was found dead in the Vermont- Slauson area of South Los Angeles, police said Wednesday. Los Angeles Police Department officers from the 77th Division were called at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday to 5858 S. Hoover St. between Slauson Avenue and 59th Street where they found the victim in the street, an LAPD spokeswoman said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel. A homicide investigation is underway. There was no suspect information. The motive of the shooting is unclear at this time, but detectives say there might have been some kind of confrontation between the victim and shooter outside a car. 

CBS 2

Hit-And-Run Motorist Sought In Pedestrian Fatality In Leimert Park

Authorities Tuesday sought the public’s help to find the driver who struck and killed a pedestrian in Leimert Park then fled. Officers were sent about 8:45 p.m. Monday to the 1900 block of West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, between Western and Normandie avenues, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A man in his 20s was pronounced dead at the scene, the LAPD reported. He was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as Owen Coolidge. No description was available of the vehicle or suspect. A standing reward of up to $50,000 has been offered by the city of Los Angeles for information that helps authorities solve a fatal hit-and-run case. Anyone with information on the fatality was urged to call 877-LAPD-247.

MyNewsLA

Homeless Man Charged In Attacks On Children In Venice, Santa Monica

A man has been charged with attacking two young children in separate incidents in Venice and Santa Monica earlier this month, authorities said. Ahsante Lamar Morgan, 23, entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. The charges relate to assaults on a girl on March 10 and a boy on March 14, officials said. According to Santa Monica police, a 6-year-old girl was walking with her parents on Main Street at Marine Avenue in Santa Monica on March 10 when Morgan, seated at a bus bench, suddenly spun around and hit the child. She fell to the ground, but was not seriously injured, and the suspect fled. "An incident like this one is an affront to public safety and will not be tolerated, especially when a child is involved," Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista said in a statement. "We stand strong against anyone who chooses to victimize those in our city."

Westside Current

Paul Pierce's LA Home Burglarized: $100K In Cash, Watches Stolen From NBA Champion, Report Says

Ten-time NBA All-Star Paul Pierce’s Los Angeles home was burglarized, and the thieves got away with $100,000 worth of cash and designer watches, TMZ reported. Law enforcement sources told the entertainment news outlet the burglary happened Friday, March 15. No arrests have been made in the case and investigators continue to canvas the scene for surveillance footage and other clues. Pierce was one of the "Big Three," along with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen when the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship in 2008 in a six-game series against Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers. The 46-year-old was fired from ESPN after an Instagram live video showed him engaging in conduct that didn’t align with Disney's policies. Disney is ESPN’s parent company. Pierce now freely lives by his own rules and does a podcast with former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, Kevin Garnett, called "Ticket & The Truth." The podcast has nearly 905,000 subscribers on YouTube. 

FOX 11

Authorities Search For Suspects Who Murdered L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy

Authorities are offering a reward in the search for suspects who murdered a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy. The deputy, Juan Escalante, 27, was shot and killed in front of his mother’s house in Cypress Park in 2008. At least six suspects, believed to be gang members, were arrested in the case and multiple people have been charged and convicted. However, investigators believe additional suspects still remain at large. On August 2, 2008, Escalante left for work at around 5:40 a.m. on his way to the Men’s Central Jail. As he reached into his car to adjust a child’s car seat, that’s when the suspects shot him in the back of the head, said LASD. He was not in uniform at the time. One of the suspects, Carlos Velasquez, later pleaded guilty to murder in 2012. Prosecutors said Velasquez wrongly believed he was killing a rival gang member and shot the deputy numerous times. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

KTLA 5

A Southern California Pastor Hired Hit Men To Kill A Man Dating His Daughter, Police Say

Months after a man survived a barrage of gunfire while driving through Riverside, investigators arrested two men in an alleged murder-for-hire plot, including a Victorville pastor who authorities say put a hit on the man dating his daughter. The pastor, identified Tuesday as Samuel Pasillas, 47, is accused of paying almost $40,000 to have his daughter’s suitor killed, according to the Riverside Police Department. Investigators said Pasillas provided information about the boyfriend to the men he paid, including the man’s location on the October night he was shot. The hit men, who police say included 55-year-old Juan Manuel Cebreros, conducted surveillance on the boyfriend for weeks before the shooting, according to Ryan Railsback, a spokesperson for the Police Department. The victim, who has not been identified, was shot several times Oct. 21 when a vehicle pulled up beside his vehicle and a gunman opened fire, Railsback said. The victim drove himself to a hospital and has since been released, Railsback said, but is still recovering from the gunshot wounds.

Los Angeles Times

Video: Teen Arrested After Firing Into Unmarked Dallas Police Car

The Dallas Police Department has released surveillance and body camera video of a shooting that wounded an officer, NBCDFW reported. The shooting occurred March 14 when an officer in an unmarked car observed a blue Chevrolet Camaro driving recklessly, according to the report. The officer began to follow the vehicle. Surveillance footage shows the suspect vehicle making a U-turn. As the vehicle drives past the unmarked police car, several shots can be heard. The driver, now identified as Jaheart Nickleberry, 17, fired 5 shots at the police vehicle, according to the report. One of the rounds struck the officer in the hip. “We are lucky we did not lose a Dallas officer that day,” Chief Eddie Garcia said. “Whether Nickleberry knew a Dallas police officer was inside that car or not, he fired into an occupied vehicle showing no regard for human life. This is the type of crime that our men and women work every day to prevent to put this type of violent criminal behind bars to make our streets safer.”Body camera video shows Nickleberry’s arrest as he attempted to flee from officers. He stopped the car and appeared to be holding a handgun as he exited. A police helicopter followed his location, and officers were able to apprehend him and place him under arrest.

PoliceOne

First Black Female LAFD Captain Receives Honor For 31 Years Of Public Service

The first Black female captain of the Los Angeles Fire Department received commendations Tuesday for her service spanning over three decades. d’Lisa Davies, who retired from the fire department in 2015, was recognized during a LA Board of Fire Commissioners meeting for her contributions to equal career opportunities within the fire service and representing women in the African American community. “This is why we’re here,” said Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley, pointing to Davies. “I wanna focus on you and your legacy.” Davies joined the LAFD in 1984 after serving in the military as a telecommunication specialist. Davies said her a-ha moment came after witnessing a physical extrication, where firefighters cut open a vehicle to remove the passenger inside. "I grew up with my dad working on cars and my uncles in construction," Davies recalled. "I saw that rolling tool box. I got excited, so I put in the application." Davies went on to spend the first 22 years combating fires in the areas of South LA, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights and Highland Park. She was then assigned to the Recruitment Unit designed to provide outreach programs to assist in mentoring potential recruits for the LAFD.

NBC 4

Missing Swimmer Found Dead In Playa del Rey

A missing swimmer out of Playa del Rey was discovered deceased Wednesday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Rescue personnel from the LA County Fire Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 8100 block of Vista Del Mar shortly after 1 a.m. regarding reports that one of three swimmers had gone missing. Divers were combing the sand the hours during the search. A Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson said three friends went into the water for a swim and one did not come out. The body was discovered around 7 a.m. 

CBS 2

L.A. Looks At Eliminating Up To 2,000 Vacant Positions As The City’s Budget Outlook Worsens

Faced with a steadily worsening financial picture, Los Angeles officials are moving forward with a plan to eliminate up to 2,000 vacant positions, or about 5% of the total. To balance the city budget, Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council will need to consider removing those unfilled positions from the books, while also hiking city fees, delaying public works projects and cutting back on consulting work, City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo said in a 136-page report released Monday. Although a list of targeted jobs is still being prepared, it could include unfilled positions at the police and fire departments, the Bureau of Sanitation and agencies responsible for parks, recreation programs and transportation, among others. To close the short-term financial gap, the council also will likely need to dip into city reserve funds, leaving fewer dollars if a crisis occurs, Szabo said. The report on the city’s gloomy financial outlook comes about a month before Bass is scheduled to release her budget for 2024-25. As she finalizes that spending plan, she and her team will need to decide whether to seek another $250 million for Inside Safe, her program to move Angelenos indoors from street encampments.

Los Angeles Times

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.