Law Enforcement News

Law Enforcement Brothers Share In The Gift Of Life After One Donates A Kidney To Another
Call it the ultimate act of brotherly love. Brothers in law enforcement who are also brothers in real life are now sharing in the gift of life after brother donated a kidney to the other. Raymond Rose is a deputy and received a kidney from little brother Ryan Rose, a police officer. Raymond had been diagnosed with lupus in high school, which led to kidney failure later in life. It was Ray's wife Ashley who presented the matter to the family. "Ray needs a kidney," she said to them, and everyone stepped up. Raymond was also on the California donor wait list for a kidney and said he put it in God’s hands. Ryan said, "I always knew it was gonna be me." The brothers spent the early days of recovery at Raymond's home, including the Christmas holidays. "I definitely think it brought them closer" Ashley said. They are 11 years apart, with a middle brother who is an actor. Both are in a job of service. 38-year-old Raymond is a deputy at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, West Hollywood station. Twenty-seven-year-old Ryan was in the military, then joined the South Gate Police Department. "I just love helping people, and it gives me that avenue to help people," he said.
FOX 11

Person Struck, Killed By City Of LA Sanitation Truck In Sherman Oaks
A city of Los Angeles sanitation truck on Wednesday struck and killed a person in Sherman Oaks "believed to be unhoused," according to Councilwoman Nithya Raman. The crash happened near the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Noble Avenue. No other details were immediately available. The death comes after three other recent deaths in Sherman Oaks involving people who were unhoused. Raman added that she was awaiting details on what caused the other deaths. "These are lives that mattered and we express our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of these individuals," Raman said in a statement. Raman added that her office has allocated funds and contracted with service providers for interim housing. There is also a team of health practitioners working along Ventura Boulevard.
ABC 7

San Pedro Man Pleads Guilty To Armed Jewelry Store Robbery, Sentenced To 8 Years 4 Month
A San Pedro man pleaded guilty Wednesday to his involvement in an armed robbery last year at a Palm Desert jewelry store and was immediately sentenced to eight years and four months of state prison. Rayjon Thorton, 26, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to one felony count each of robbery and being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a firearm, according to court records. According to court records, a victim restitution hearing was set for May 11. Colton resident Demetrius Thornton, 23, Joshua King, 27, of Compton, and Karina Ortega, 22, of Tracy, are accused of robbing a jewelry store owner June 28, 2022, with Thorton, according to Sgt. Daniel Milbrandt of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Ortega, Thornton and King were each charged with two felony counts, one each of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon to cause great bodily harm, according to court records. King was additionally charged with one felony count of being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a firearm.
MyNewsLA

Woman Who Went Missing From South LA Transitional Housing Facility Found Safe, Police Say
A 35-year-old woman who went missing from a transitional housing facility in South Los Angeles earlier this month has been found safe, police said. Tamika Newsome went missing on Thursday, Jan. 5, according to her family. She was found "in good health" Tuesday and is now reportedly in contact with investigators, police said. She was last seen at the transitional home that she had been living in since Nov. 28. Newsome had reportedly told her mom she was planning on moving out of the home and even messaged her property manger in an attempt to get some of her rent money back. "I was like, 'That's fine, your rent is paid so you can stay until your rent is over with, but she wanted to leave and she left," said CEO of Friends, Inc. Vickie Wade, who told ABC7 she has given police complete access to Ring footage showing Newsome leaving the property. "We can't tell them not to leave or anything because they're able to go as they please."
ABC 7

Thrown Rock Damages L.A. Fire Station In Palms
The front door of a fire station was damaged Thursday morning in an apparent vandalism attack. An incident was reported at Los Angeles Fire Dept. Station 43, located at 3690 Motor Ave. in Palms, at 5:10 a.m. Thursday. Authorities said at least one rock was thrown at the front entrance. The glass front door sustained a large hole and fractured the glass. Initially firefighters heard the sound and thought gunfire might have been involved. They sheltered in place while LAPD officers responded to investigate. Station personnel were prevented from responding to a fire call in Venice due to the incident. LAPD later determined a large rock had been thrown at the front door, and cleared the scene. No injuries were reported, and no suspect description was available.
CBS 2

Man Arrested In Connection With Robbery At Beverly Hills Business Over Weekend
A man wanted in connection with a burglary over the weekend in Beverly Hills was behind bars on Wednesday after being located by police. According to Beverly Hills Police Department, officers on patrol near Peck Drive and Gregory Way located a car that matched the description of a vehicle driven by suspects during a robbery that occurred at a business in the 200 block of South Robertson Boulevard on Saturday. After pulling the car over, police identified one of the four men inside of the vehicle as a suspect in the robbery and took him into custody. The other three occupants were questioned by police before they were released. It was not immediately clear what incident the suspect was connected to.
CBS 2

2 Face Attempted Murder Charges After Shooting, Vehicle Attack In Santa Monica
A collision in Santa Monica resulted in a shooting and attempted murder charges for both drivers. Officers were flagged down by an individual reporting gunfire near the intersection of 6th Street and Broadway at around 3:42 p.m., authorities with the Santa Monica Police Department said. At the location, police discovered two vehicles that had been in a collision and one victim with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Witnesses told authorities that the driver of an SUV, who was involved in the collision, exited the vehicle and shot at the other car. Investigators also learned that the second driver intentionally crashed his car into the alleged shooter’s car. A handgun was recovered at the scene. The SUV driver, Emilio Reyes, had been struck by a bullet in his upper arm, and investigators determined that the van driver, Manuel Jaramillo-Heredia, had fired “several rounds” at Reyes after they were involved in an argument before the violence began, police said.
KTLA 5

Three Robbery Suspects Arrested After Brief Pursuit In Paramount
Three robbery suspects were taken into custody Wednesday following a pursuit that ended in the Paramount area. It was unclear where the pursuit began, but Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials said the chase ended around 2:30 p.m. near Downey Avenue and Contreras Street, where three suspects tried to flee on foot. Two were quickly taken into custody, but sheriff’s officials established a perimeter in search of the third, who was captured a short time later. According to reports from the scene, the trio of suspects may have been involved in a series of recent robberies of people in the Paramount area. Not other details were immediately available.
MyNewsLA

Half Moon Bay Shooting Suspect Charged With 7 Counts Of Murder, Is Eligible For Death Penalty
The man accused of killing seven people in a shooting rampage at a farm and nursery in Half Moon Bay — unleashing waves of terror, shock and grief in this rural coastal community — faces felony charges that could make him eligible for the death penalty, authorities said. San Mateo County Dist. Atty. Steven Wagstaffe said Wednesday that his office had yet to determine whether to seek capital punishment against the alleged gunman. That decision “is something that will take place over the course of the next many, many months,” he said during a news conference. Chunli Zhao, 66, is accused of fatally shooting seven people and wounding another Monday in what authorities have characterized as a case of workplace violence. He was “a co-worker or former co-worker of the victims at each shooting site,” the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said. Law enforcement officials allege the shooting took place after Zhao “snapped” because of a still-unknown grievance. He has been charged with seven counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, firearm use enhancements for each count, and a special circumstance allegation of multiple murder, according to court records. Zhao did not enter a plea when he appeared in court Wednesday.
LA Times

Feds Probe Possible Snap Chat Fentanyl Involvement
Snap Inc., the Santa Monica-based company behind Snapchat, is under investigation by federal authorities probing the possible use of the social media platform in the sale of fentanyl-laced pills, it was reported today. According to the report by Bloomberg, FBI agents and U.S. Justice Department attorneys are focusing on fentanyl poisoning cases in which drug sales were arranged on the Snapchat platform. The probe includes interviews with parents of children who have died from overdoses, and investigators are trying to access the victims' social media accounts to identify the drug suppliers, sources told the news agency. Federal authorities declined to comment publicly, but Bloomberg cited who said Snapchat records obtained through subpoenas showed that teens using the platform thought they were buying prescription pills, but what they received were either drugs laced with fentanyl, or pure fentanyl, a synthetic deadly opioid. In a statement to City News Service, a Snap representative said the company is “committed to doing our part to fight the national fentanyl poisoning crisis, which includes using cutting-edge technology to help us proactively find and shut down drug dealers' accounts.''
WestSide Current

Video: Nevada Cop Saved By Good Samaritans After Being Shot In The Leg During Shootout
The Reno Police Department released bodycam footage from a deadly shootout between officers and two suspects at an apartment complex. According to the Reno Gazette, the incident left one suspect dead and another suspect wounded. Officers were initially called to the apartment complex on a report of possible gunfire in the area stemming from a parking dispute. Sgt. Steve Mayfield can be seen arriving at the location on bodycam video and walking into a playground area before saying, “Two males – they’re running away with several firearms.” Mayfield then pulls his gun and shouts, “Reno police, stop! Stop!” Multiple shots can be heard following the command, as the officer falls to the ground with audible signs he’s been hit before managing to return fire. While breathing heavily, Mayfield can be heard saying, “Two suspects – both down.” The bodycam footage shows a second officer coming to Mayfield’s aid, offering support along with several good Samaritans who were present at the apartment complex. One good Samaritan brought a tourniquet and tied it above Mayfield’s knee, while three armed civilians arrived to support the officers by maintaining a perimeter while paramedics rushed to the scene.
PoliceOne

New Report Highlights Patterns In Mass Attacks In Public Spaces
The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) released Mass Attacks in Public Spaces: 2016-2020 this week, a report examining 173 incidents of targeted violence and highlighting commonalities among attackers. “NTAC’s exploration of each attacker’s background, motivation and pre-attack behavior will assist the Secret Service and our partners in our shared violence prevention efforts. We encourage our public safety partners to review the information within this report and apply it to their own practices for providing a safe environment in communities across the country," Kimberly Cheatle, U.S. Secret Service Director, said. Although the attacks contained within the report represent an array of locations, including businesses and workplaces, schools, houses of worship, military bases and residential complexes, one common thread is that in many of these cases, the attackers had a known affiliation with the place they chose to attack.
PoliceOne

Public Safety News

Man Falls To His Death On Ship At Port Of Los Angeles, Authorities Say
A man fell to his death on a ship at the Port of Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the man fell approximately 50 feet down onto the deck of a ship from the superstructure. Firefighters and paramedics attempted to resuscitate the man, but he was "beyond medical help," they said. It's unclear what caused the man to fall from the structure. The U.S. Coast Guard has been notified and the incident will be handed over to the Los Angeles Port Police.
ABC 7

Local Government News

LA County Extends Tenant Protections Through March
One week before they were set to expire, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today extended by two months its tenant protections against eviction for those impacted by COVID-19, while also approving the establishment of a $45 million “relief fund” for small landlords who have been unable to collect rent from some tenants. Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis originally asked their colleagues to extend the tenant protections through June. That extension met with opposition on the board, most notably from board chair Janice Hahn, who said she would not support such a long extension. Hahn indicated she would be supportive of a shorter time frame, leading to the March 31 compromise. Horvath said the extension was essential to assist renters who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the magnitude of people still getting sick, still out of work, and continuing to die from this emergency, it is essential that we keep folks cared for in stable housing,'' she said in a statement following the vote. “Continued and expanded protections are critical for both renters and property owners, and the cost and consequences of doing nothing will be dire. We simply cannot afford to abandon our most vulnerable residents who are facing down these compounded crises.”
NBC 4

In Council Chaos, Park Stands With Mom And Pop Landlords
Last Friday, during what looked like chaos, Councilmembers were at work amending and adding motions regarding the controversial eviction protections. The City Council passed two ordinances providing permanent tenant protections, ahead of the termination of COVID-19 rental protections, which were due to expire at the end of January. One ordinance would eliminate Covid eviction protections and clarified the way that rental debt accrued during the pandemic could be repaid. The second expands "just cause" eviction protections to single family homes, condominiums and apartments built before 2008. The issue of whether or not to eliminate the pandemic moratorium on evictions for renters adversely affected by Covid-19 has become contentious. Tenant advocacy groups have predicted an increase in homelessness among households still behind on rent should they be faced with a sudden requirement to pay.
WestSide Current

LA City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez Seeks More Transparency For 311 Calls
Citing issues with service requests related to 311 calls for storm-related issues, City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez filed a motion this week seeking an accounting of all such requests related to the rain and wind storms that hit the region earlier this month. Residents can use the city’s 311 system to ask for services such as repairing potholes and removing graffiti. During storms, residents can turn to 311 to address mudslides and fallen trees. Issues cited by Hernandez include a lack of transparency around whether an issue has been fully addressed, and duplicate tickets regarding similar issues being closed with no explanation. “When Angelenos make a 311 request, they should be confident that the city will address the issue while providing accurate and timely updates to the community,” Hernandez said. “This motion ensures that residents have peace of mind that their concerns are being addressed efficiently and equitably across all neighborhoods.”
MyNewsLA