Widows of LAPD Officers to Jurado: 'Resign from Race; Your ‘F-the-Police’ Comment Is a Disgrace'

Angela Mendoza, the girlfriend of Officer Fernando Arroyos, who was killed in a robbery last year, held a framed photo of Arroyos as she spoke about how anti-police rhetoric deepens her grief. “I am the surviving girlfriend of Officer Fernando Arroyos, who was murdered right before my eyes,” she said. “It felt like a slap in the face—he was killed simply for who he was and what he did as an LAPD officer.”

Westside Current

Read about Ysabel Jurado’s public safety plan.

Grammy-Winning Rapper Lil Durk Charged In Murder-for-Hire Plot Near Beverly Center Mall

Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Durk has been arrested in Florida on federal charges that he paid for the attempted 2022 revenge killing of rapper Quando Rondo at a Los Angeles gas station, a shooting that resulted in the death of Rondo's cousin. Durk, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the slaying of Saviay'a Robinson, 24, who was gunned down on Aug. 19, 2022, according to an FBI affidavit released Friday. Five other members of Durk's Chicago-based rap collective, "Only the Family" or "OTF," have also been arrested and at least two more arrests may be forthcoming, according to court documents that have been filed. Durk was arrested Thursday night in South Florida as he attempted to flee the country, the FBI says. Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, won a Grammy earlier this year for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his song "All My Life," which featured J. Cole. He has also been nominated three times and was a featured performer on Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later." FBI Agent Sarah Corcoran said in her affidavit that OTF members engage "in violence, including murder and assault, at the direction of Banks and to maintain their status in OTF."

ABC 7

Police Investigating A Fatal Stabbing In Hollywood

A person was fatally stabbed near the Walk of Fame in Hollywood Sunday. Around 5 p.m. Sunday, police were notified about a homicide in the 7100 block of Hawthorne Avenue, near Hollywood Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers responding to the call found the victim dead at the scene, according to a spokesperson for the LAPD. A description of the person was not disclosed. The suspect was seen fleeing northbound. He was described as a Hispanic male, 6-feet, 1-inch tall, 200 pounds, wearing black clothing. A possible motive was not provided.

MyNewsLA

Teenager Hospitalized After Being Shot In Reseda

A teenager was hospitalized after being shot in Reseda on Sunday afternoon. It happened at around 2 p.m. in the 7500 block of Canby Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, but investigators say that the male juvenile was taken to a hospital after suffering a gunshot wound. Their condition was not immediately known. There was no information available on a possible suspect or motive involved in the shooting. Video posted on the Citizen app showed as LAPD officers taped off a rear alleyway in the area. Several patrol cars were parked out front of the home where the scene was being investigated. Anyone who knows more is asked to contact LAPD. 

CBS 2

Gunman On The Loose Following Deadly Double Shooting At Hawthorne Party

Police in Hawthorne are looking for a man who shot and killed two others at a party overnight. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said law enforcement was called to the back alley of a home on the 3600 block of West El Segundo Boulevard for a report of a shooting. Responding officers went into the backyard of the home and found two men with gunshot wounds. LA County Fire Department personnel arrived shortly after and determined both victims died at the scene. Their names were not disclosed. Authorities learned from witnesses that a man entered the backyard of the home as a party took place and opened fire. He then left the scene in an unknown direction. A description of the suspected shooter was not available. A possible motive for the violence is not clear. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

NBC 4

2 Siblings Convicted Of Kidnapping Man, Threatening Southern California Family For Ransom

Two siblings were convicted for their role in kidnapping a man in Mexico and threatening his family in Los Angeles County for a ransom. Mario Alex Medina, 54, a.k.a. “Shyboy,” and Maria Alejandra Medina, 51, residents of Rosarito, Mexico, were found guilty by a jury on Friday for their involvement in a kidnapping and ransom scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A third person involved, Jose Salud Medina, 31, a.k.a. “Gordo,” who is also Mario’s son, is in Mexican custody and will be tried separately in this case. On Nov. 5, 2022, under Mario’s direction, his accomplices broke into a neighbor’s house and kidnapped a man at gunpoint, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The victim, identified only as “R.V.,” was pistol-whipped while the kidnappers fired a gun near his head. Mario’s accomplice called the victim’s family who lives in Los Angeles County. They demanded $70,000 for the man’s release and sent a video through WhatsApp showing him being beaten, court documents said.

KTLA 5

Video: Illinois Officer Shoots, Kills Man Who Fatally Wounded Indiana Deputy

The Iroquois County State’s Attorney has released body camera footage after ruling that a deputy was justified in fatally shooting a man who shot another deputy, The News-Gazette reported. The Sept. 1 incident began when several law enforcement agencies responded to a report of an alleged kidnapping in progress, according to the report. An attempt was made by law enforcement to stop the vehicle in Iroquois County, Illinois. When the suspect vehicle refused to stop, a pursuit was initiated, during which officers learned that the man was reportedly armed and suicidal. The suspect vehicle traveled into Newton County, Indiana, then back into Iroquois County where it crashed into another vehicle, bringing it to a stop, according to the Iroquois County State’s Attorney Office.Video shows officers surrounding the suspect as he made attempts to continue to flee. The suspect refused to comply with deputies’ repeated instructions and moved around in the truck without raising his hands. The suspect then pulled out a revolver and fired what appeared to be a single shot, striking and critically wounding Newton County, Indiana, Deputy Brandon Schreiber. An Iroquois County deputy returned fire, killing the suspect. Schreiber died days after the shooting on Sept. 11. A thorough investigation by the Illinois State Police, including witness statements, bodycamera footage and forensic evidence, concluded that the deputy’s actions were justified. The Iroquois County State’s Attorney, Jim Devine, announced no further legal action will be taken in the case.

PoliceOne

Aggravated Assault Suspect Bites Tennessee Officer, Attempts To Choke K-9 Before Arrest

Attempting to get away from law enforcement, a 31-year-old man bit an officer and choked a K-9, Tennessee police said. A K-9 was called around 5:40 p.m. on Oct. 20 to help officers locate Tommie Williams, who jumped a fence and ran into the woods behind a church in Memphis while trying to evade arrest, the Memphis Police Department said in a news release shared with McClatchy News. Williams had a warrant from Mississippi for aggravated assault, according to the release. Police said he continued to be non-compliant after the K-9 tracked him down. The dog then bit him twice on his right arm. Williams then grabbed the K-9 by his chain collar and started choking the dog, officers said. When an officer tried to intervene, Williams bit the officer’s hand. Officers arrested Williams and took him to a hospital in non-critical condition. He is charged with two counts of assault against a first responder, evading arrest on foot and resisting official detention, police said. Williams was released Oct. 21 on a $7,500 bond and is set to appear in court Oct. 23, according to police records. 

Charlotte Observer

Northern Ireland Man Who Abused, Blackmailed Up To 3,500 Girls Online Is Sentenced In A U.S. Child’s Suicide

A “relentless and cruel” online predator who blackmailed girls around the world was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison on Friday after being convicted of the manslaughter of a victim who took her own life. Prosecutors say 26-year-old Alexander McCartney, from Newry in Northern Ireland, pretended to be a teenage girl and carried out “catfishing” attacks on 3,500 female victims he contacted on online platforms including Snapchat. “Catfishing” refers to using a fake online identity to deceive victims. Authorities said McCartney encouraged his victims to send intimate photos or engage in sex acts, then extorted from them by threatening to share the images. A 12-year-old in West Virginia killed herself in May 2018 during an online chat with McCartney as he demanded sex acts. The victim’s father died by suicide 18 months later. Prosecutors said they believe this is the first time someone has been convicted of manslaughter in a case in which victim and perpetrator never met in person. “Working closely with police, the prosecution team was able to establish to the criminal standard that McCartney’s actions had caused the girl’s death and he had a case to answer for manslaughter,” said Catherine Kieran, acting head of the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service Serious Crime Unit.

Los Angeles Times

Person Jumps From Window Of Burning Westlake Apartment Building, Survives

A person jumped out of a window to escape a fierce fire that ignited in a four-story Westlake apartment building Sunday morning and survived with injuries, authorities said. The cause of the blaze, which swept through multiple units and sent massive plumes of smoke into the air, is being investigated by the Los Angeles Fire Department’s arson team, according to the department. The department responded to the blaze at 140 S. Reno St. at 11:26 a.m., according to the LAFD. Using a team of 50 firefighters, the department was able to extinguish the fire before noon. At 11:47 a.m., a person was being assessed for injuries sustained after leaping from the second floor of the building, according to fire officials. The fire appears to have originated in the second-floor hallway of the building and quickly spread to the third floor, according to the LAFD. The department described the building as having a mixed garden-style and center-hall layout. Officials conducted two searches of the building and its exterior and found no additional injuries.

Los Angeles Times

Teen Hospitalized After Jumping From High-Voltage Tower In Sylmar

A 16-year-old boy was transported to a hospital after jumping from a 75-foot high-voltage tower in Sylmar Sunday. Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, crews were working to rescue the teenager who was experiencing what was described as a psychological emergency by the Los Angeles Fire Department. He was stranded on a high-voltage transmission tower at 16320 Silver Oaks Drive, east of the 5 Freeway, according to the LAFD. At some point, the boy jumped from the tower, but not into a rescue cushion that had been place by the rescuers, according to the department. He was transported to a trauma center for treatment of unknown injuries. 

FOX 11

California Wildfires Are Spreading And Intensifying Faster, Putting More People In Danger

Just from what they’ve experienced over the years, California residents may suspect that wildfires have gotten more extreme amid a warmer and more drought-prone climate. A new paper in the journal Science puts that sentiment to the test, with startling findings: California fires spread almost four times faster in 2020 than they had in 2001. The study, authored by scientists from the University of Colorado, UC Merced and UCLA, also found that across the West, fires grew 250% more quickly in 2020 than they did in 2001. “People are pretty good at putting out all fires,” said Park Williams, a UCLA professor and co-author of the study, but “the faster the fire, the more easily it can escape control.” Although intuitive, the relationship between the speed at which a fire spreads and the damage it causes to structures and land was difficult to quantify until recent developments in satellite technology, he said. Now, scientists can plot “trends in the daily growth rates,” he said. Using daily fire spread imagery for some 60,000 fires from 2001 to 2020, they were able to determine a relationship between damage and speed, Williams said.

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.