Man armed with AR-15 style rifle stabs woman with child outside Westfield Topanga Mall, LAPD says
Law Enforcement News
Man armed with AR-15 style rifle stabs woman with child outside Westfield Topanga Mall, LAPD says
A suspect is in custody after a shooting and stabbing outside the Westfield Topanga Mall in the Canoga Park area Thursday afternoon. LAPD said shots were fired in the 6600 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, which is the address of the Westfield Topanga Mall, just before 12:30 p.m. The investigation appeared to be outside the Cheesecake Factory; police tape closed off part of the parking lot, aerials from AIR7 showed. LAPD said a man with an AR-15 style rifle fired shots at a woman who was with her child, but missed. He then stabbed the victim. The child was not harmed, LAPD said. The woman then reportedly ran inside the restaurant screaming and covered in blood. Police said the suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored Mercedes but was arrested a short distance away. Footage from AIR7 showed police searching a dark Mercedes sedan near an Office Depot store. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in stable condition. LAPD said the incident began as a child custody issue. No further details were immediately known. The investigation is ongoing.
Rapper Lil Nas X arrested in altercation with LAPD officers on Studio City street
"Old Town Road" rapper Lil Nas X was arrested early Thursday morning after an altercation with police in Studio City, the LAPD told NBC4 Investigates. Police responded at about 6 a.m. to reports of a naked man in the 11000 block of Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley community. Video published by TMZ showed a man, identified as Lil Nas X, wearing only underwear and cowboy boots in the middle of a street. In the videos posted by TMZ, he can be heard telling a driver to "come to the party." and asked another person, "Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down?" He also is seen posing for onlookers. Officers arrived with lights and sirens activated, and the man charged at officers, police said. Police requested firefighter-paramedics for a possible drug overdose. The man, later identified by LAPD sources as 26-year-old Lil Nas X, was hospitalized and later booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a police officer. LAPD sources told NBC4 Investigates that Lil Nas X, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, threw punches at officers, leading to a use of force by the officers, who forced him to the ground. No officers were injured.
LAPD Detains San Pedro Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Four Females Ranging from Teens to 40s
A 27-year-old man suspected of sexually assaulting four female victims between the ages of 13 and 42 in San Pedro was behind bars Thursday. David Ramirez is suspected in the attacks that occurred between Saturday and Monday, with the victims accosted when they were either walking on a sidewalk or inside a store, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Ramirez was arrested Monday at an apartment complex near Eighth Street and Pacific Avenue, close to the location where he allegedly approached a woman from behind, restrained and assaulted her. “The victim, with the help of other community members, tracked the suspect to a nearby apartment complex on Eighth Street,” police said in a statement. Ramirez was booked on suspicion of felony sexual battery and was being held without bail.
Man arrested for sex assaults targeting victims in Los Angeles
A man was arrested for a series of sexual assaults targeting victims in the Los Angeles area. The suspect was identified as Jordan “Jay” Christopher Hunt, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Hunt reportedly met his victims through social media and dating apps, police said. Following an investigation, on Aug. 20, Hunt was arrested for forcible rape. Detectives believe there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward. Police are also searching for witnesses with more information on the case. Anyone who may be a victim or has additional information is asked to call LAPD Sexual Assault Detectives at 323-290-2976. The public can also call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Police Search Continues for 10 and 2-Year-Old Brothers Missing from Foster Home
Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation and search continued Friday for two missing young brothers who left their foster parents’ Westlake District apartment early Thursday and are believed to have then been abducted by their biological mother. The boys, 2-year old Derek Rodriguez and 10-year-old Jaden Hernandez, were the subject of an Amber Alert issued by the California Highway Patrol mid-morning Thursday, after being reported missing at 1:30 a.m. This is the second day that authorities have searched for the children and have asked for the public’s help finding them. They were last seen in the area of West 52nd Street and Halldale Avenue in South Los Angeles, according to LAPD spokeswoman Officer Rosario Cervantes. “It is believed their biological mother, Jackeline Hernandez-Torres, took them from Virgil Avenue to the area of the 1500 block of East 52nd Street, ” according to an LAPD statement.
Swing for the Officer Needs Help Fund!
Join us for the 43rd Annual Chief Daryl F. Gates Golf Tournament on October 6, 2025 at the beautiful Porter Valley Country Club. This is your chance to tee off for a cause. Every swing helps support the Officer Needs Help Fund. Enjoy a day of friendly competition, scenic fairways, and great company while aiming for exciting prizes and bragging rights. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or just out for the fun, you’ll be part of something truly meaningful. Sponsorship opportunities are available, giving you a chance to showcase your support for our law enforcement family. Don’t miss your shot! Register today and help us drive change, one hole at a time!
LASD gets 300 new vehicles, including pursuit-ready trucks
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced Thursday that it is rolling out more than 300 new vehicles to modernize its fleet, boost efficiency, and strengthen safety for both deputies and the public. Modernization has been a key priority for Sheriff Robert Luna. He has focused effort on replacing aging equipment and taken steps to ensure deputies are equipped with reliable tools to help them serve Los Angeles County, according to the Sheriff's Information Bureau. "The department is deploying approximately 280 new black and white SUVs. Twenty-five have already been assigned, with more to come. The new vehicles will reduce maintenance costs, feature improved safety lighting, advanced siren systems, and collision avoidance technology. Forty-eight are hybrid patrol units, supporting both operational needs and sustainability goals,'' sheriff's officials said. The department's new fleet also includes 10 Ford F-150 'Responder' pickup trucks, designed for pursuit. Two are designated for K9 operations, and the remaining eight are assigned to mountain patrol stations. "Recent updates include 20 new court services transportation buses that have reduced inmates missing court from more than 1,000 to an average of three per week. Fourteen additional buses are on order for 2025, and EV options are being evaluated,'' sheriff's officials said in a statement.
Prosecutors to seek death penalty for man accused of killing 2 police officers in Utah
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for a man accused of fatally shooting two police officers in northern Utah last weekend, according to new court documents. Ryan Michael Bate faces 20 charges, including two counts of capital murder, for the deaths of Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada. The Box Elder County Attorney’s Office filed a notice to the court late Wednesday that they plan to seek the death penalty for Bate. Police say Bate, 30, killed the officers from the Tremonton-Garland Police Department with a high-powered rifle while they were responding to a domestic disturbance call at his home. Bate’s wife had called 911 and hung up multiple times to get help after Bate “slammed her head with a door, and grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the wall,” according to charging documents. She later told police he had repeatedly threatened to kill her. Box Elder County sheriff’s deputy Mike Allred and his police K-9 Azula, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, arrived at the scene as backup and were injured in the shooting. Bystanders persuaded Bate to drop the gun and he was taken into custody.
Public Safety News
Barricades placed outside Downtown L.A. Federal Building
Concrete barricades were set up outside the Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles overnight in anticipation of possible immigration protests this weekend. Video showed crane-equipped construction vehicles lowering the K-rails in front of the building on Los Angeles Street near Temple Street during the early morning hours on Friday. The new barriers will now reinforce the chain link fence already outside the Federal Building. The increased security measures are taking place in advance of a possible protest planned this weekend in the Downtown area. Demonstrations have been taking place since early June, when aggressive ICE raids and immigration enforcement turned increasingly confrontational. Some of the first demonstrations lasted for several hours, ultimately leading to acts of looting and vandalism that made national headlines and prompted President Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard troops.
Panorama City Apartment Fire Quickly Extinguished
Fire crews worked in stifling heat Thursday to put out a blaze in a first-floor unit of a Panorama City apartment building. Crews raced around 11:25 a.m. Thursday to the two-story apartment building at 8355 N. Willis Ave. and saw smoke coming from the apartment amid reports someone was trapped. Firefighters quickly put out the fire and rescued a 27-year-old woman who was assessed by paramedics, but refused to be taken to a hospital, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz. It took 25 minutes from the time the fire was reported to put it out, she said, adding that 37 firefighters responded. Utility companies and a building inspector were requested to respond to the location.
Firefighters contain Sepulveda Basin brush fire burning near 405 Freeway
Los Angeles firefighters contained a small brush fire burning in the Sepulveda Basin near the 405 Freeway on Thursday afternoon. The blaze was reported at around 12:45 p.m. in the 15700 block of W. Burbank Boulevard, west of the busy thoroughfare, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Fire Department. While they battled the fire, using water tankers and ground crews, firefighters requested assistance from L.A.'s Department of Transportation for traffic control and to close eastbound lanes of Burbank Boulevard from Woodley to the 405. Following LAFD's pre-deployment plan in the event of a fire during an ongoing heat wave, the department requested assistance from air resources and a strike team from California's Office of Emergency Services. "Fire is currently between the LA River and Haskell Creek, following uphill topography in the area ... and moving towards heavier brush near the south side of Burbank Boulevard," firefighters said after almost 45 minutes of battling the blaze. Firefighters said the blaze was not being driven by winds.
LA Heat Wave Brings Risk of Thunderstorms, Fires, Health Issues
Another day of triple-digit temperatures will bake some parts of the Los Angeles area Friday as a late-summer heat wave stretches into the weekend. With temperatures topping 100 degrees across many valley and desert areas, concerns about possible wildfires have also heightened. A red flag warning of critical fire danger took effect at 9 a.m. Wednesday and will remain in place through 9 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, Antelope Valley foothills and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors. Those areas are expected to face “unseasonably hot high temperatures, generally 95-110 degrees and highest Thursday through Saturday,” combined with humidity levels as low as 8%, according to the National Weather Service.
