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Law Enforcement News
Man Killed In Drive-By Shooting In Lincoln Heights
A man in his 20s was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting Sunday in Lincoln Heights, authorities said. The shooting occurred at about 2 a.m. in the area of North Broadway and Daly St., said Officer Rosario Cervantes of the LA Police Department's Media Relations Section. A suspect was talking with the victim when he stepped into a vehicle with three other suspects, drove by the victim and fired several shots at him, Cervantes said. Paramedics rushed the victim to a hospital, where he died. The LAPD's Hollenbeck station urged anyone with information about the homicide to call them at 323-342-4100 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
NBC 4
Police Seek 2 Persons Of Interest In Brutal Boyle Heights Hit-and-Run Caught On Camera
Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department asked for the public’s help Friday in locating two people in connection with a brutal felony hit-and-run in Boyle Heights that left the victim seriously injured. The incident occurred on Aug. 27 at Fickett and Boulder Streets and was captured on security video. In the footage, a white Ford Econoline van can be seen running over 40-year-old Luis Lopez, who was lying unconscious in the middle of the street after falling off an electric scooter he’d been riding. The van dragged him some 25 feet. Lopez survived but suffered serious injuries. Two men, 55-year-old Jose Huaxtitla and his associate Pablo Morales, both residents of L.A., are now wanted for questioning in connection with the incident. Police said tips from the community helped identify Huaxtitla and Morales. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the two men are encouraged to call Detective Juan Campos with Central Traffic Division at 213-486-0755 or by email at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or on the Crime Stoppers website.
KTLA 5
Two Veteran LA Prosecutors Removed From High Profile Unit
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón transferred two senior prosecutors — known for high-profile and complex murder cases that drew international attention — and moved them to positions typically held by less experienced deputies, in an action the attorneys say was retaliation for their criticism of Gascón. John McKinney, who handled the murder of rapper Nipsey Hussle, and John Lewin, who prosecuted New York real estate scion Robert Durst and developed a national reputation for pursuing circumstantial cold case homicides, said they were told this week they would now be handling routine cases in Inglewood and East LA. Both have publicly criticized Gascón's reform policies and supported the effort to recall Gascón from office. "In my case, it was done to retaliate against me for my criticism of the DA's competence and fidelity to the law," McKinney told NBC. "I do not think that my retaliatory transfer is an accident," Lewin said. "I was clearly transferred because very early on I chose to speak up in internal memos, in discussions within the office, and in the press and social media, regarding the disastrous nature of many of George Gascón's policies," Lewin said. The DA's office denied the transfers were demotions, and did not respond to a question about whether or not the transfers were politically motivated or retaliatory.
NBC 4
Investigation Underway After Video Shows Woman Robbed At Gunpoint Inside Downtown LA Parking Structure
Authorities are investigating yet another brazen robbery that took place in the middle of the day, after surveillance footage shows a man robbing a woman at gunpoint. The incident occurred at around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning inside the St. Vincent Jewelry Center public parking garage on S. Broadway, where the suspect is said to have followed the victim to the elevators. The footage from inside of the parking garage shows the man pointing a gun in the woman's direction, demanding her valuables. According to a witness at the scene, he told her to "be quiet" as he took the victim's belongings. While jarring, people who live and work in the area aren't exactly surprised by the incident. "It's not surprising to hear that it happened," said Chris Lucas, who works nearby. "That's another reason too, why we lock up so early. It gets bad as soon as the sun's going down around 5, 6, 7." The jewelry center's management system has increased security measures as a result, employing armed guards and utilizing dozens of security cameras in hopes of keeping clientele and employees safe.
CBS 2
Van Nuys Woman Says Homeless Man Continues To Camp Out On Her Porch, Refuses To Leave
A woman in Van Nuys is calling on police to investigate after a man, who she believes is homeless, continues to make a bed on her porch and refuses to leave. Shacola Thompson, who lives near Sherman Way and Hazeltine Avenue, tells Eyewitness News the man has been spotted at her home at least 10 times over the last month. "I'm concerned about my safety," she said. She first realized something was strange was happening when she saw graffiti on her wall after returning from a trip. She checked her doorbell camera and saw that the man had become a regular visitor. She said on Thursday, the police were called twice. "He came to my house yesterday morning and tried to break in!" Thompson said. Thompson shared several videos from her Ring camera, which captured several of those police encounters. "Do you know this individual?" the officer asks Thompson through the camera. "I do not know him," Thompson is heard responding. "I do not know this individual. He's been poking around here; this is the second time I have to call log him. He tagged my wall." Thompson claims the man keeps coming back.
ABC 7
Police Arrest Four In Connection With Attempted Burglary In Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills police arrest four individuals in connection with an attempted residential burglary that occurred Saturday night. The attempted burglary took place on the 600 block of North Roxbury Drive. Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Beverly Hills police responded to a call of an attempted burglary. Shortly after authorities arrived they took one suspect into custody while three other individuals fled on foot from the scene. Additional units that arrived set up a containment with the assistance of Beverly Hills Police K9 Units, Beverly Hills Police S.W.A.T., the Santa Monica Police Department, Culver City Police Department, U.C.L.A. Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Aero Bureau. After a seven-hour search the remaining three suspects were found and taken into custody. The individuals were identified as: Delontre Blaylock, 25-year-old male transient, Dontey Watkins, 24-year-old male from Rialto, CA, Damani Franklin, 19-year-old male from Moreno Valley, CA, and Russel Foreman, 22-year-old male from Rialto, CA. Police were also able to locate and impound the vehicle believed to have been used by the men.
NBC 4
LASD Deputy Hospitalized After Crash Involving Hit-and-Run Driver In Gardena
A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was hospitalized Sunday morning after a crash in Gardena involving a hit-and-run driver, authorities said. The crash occurred at about 4:50 a.m. at the intersection of Van Ness and Marine avenues, said LASD Sgt. Nikos Guskos, adding that the suspect's vehicle was a silver Kia. Paramedics rushed the deputy, the lone occupant inside the SUV, to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Guskos said. "He has some back and neck issues," the sheriff's sergeant said of the injured deputy. "He's conscious and talking." News video from the scene showed the suspect's vehicle being loaded onto a flatbed tow truck. The LASD patrol vehicle's front driver's-side fender was severely mangled. Deputies set up perimeter and conducted a search for the driver, who was later taken into custody. Investigators believe the suspect is a juvenile. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Sheriff's Department at (323) 820-6700.
ABC 7
Sexual Predator Targeting Women At Santa Monica College: Police
Authorities are warning women at Santa Monica College of a man who befriends women on campus and then sexually assaults them, according to police. The man has been befriending women near the outdoor tables south of Drescher Hall, campus police said. Once he has befriended the victim, he then lures the woman off campus to "hang out" then sexually assaults her, according to authorities. The man is described as 5'9", about 135 pounds, with short black hair and black eyes. Both the Santa Monica College Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are investigating. Anyone who has encountered the sexual predator or has any information is asked to contact the Santa Monica College Police Department at 310-434-4300 and ask for a supervisor.
FOX 11
2 Men Killed In Compton Shooting
Two men were found dead Saturday night following a shooting in Compton. The shooting happened around 9:40 p.m. on the 1500 block of South Chester Avenue. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the area regarding a report of a gunshot victim. When they arrived on scene, they found two men suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The two men were declared dead at the scene. An unidentified woman was transported to the hospital by ambulance and is currently listed in stable condition, the Sheriff’s Department said. The two people killed have been described only as men in their 20s or 30s. It’s unclear if the three people were involved in the shooting or were innocent bystanders. There is currently no information regarding any suspects or suspect vehicles. Anyone with information about the deadly shooting is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
KTLA 5
Woman Dies Of Blunt Force Trauma In Lancaster; Homicide Investigation Underway
Authorities on Sunday continued to investigate the death of a woman in the Lancaster area. The incident was reported around 12:05 a.m. Sunday in the 45500 block of Barrymoore Avenue. It was there that authorities responded to a burglar/home invasion call. When deputies arrived on scene, they located the woman, described as a Black female in her 50s, suffering of blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said a man was discovered in the house. He has been detained, but not yet arrested. Anyone with information about this incident was asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
CBS 2
Chico Police Arrest Man On Suspicion Of Planning ‘Las Vegas Style’ Mass Shooting
A 37-year-old man was arrested Sunday in Chico on suspicion of threatening to kill police officers and planning a “Las Vegas style” mass shooting, authorities said. The Chico Police Department’s SWAT team took Dallas Marsh into custody about 9 a.m. at a Super 8 Motel where he was staying. Authorities obtained an arrest warrant after learning that Marsh was allegedly “making criminal threats to kill specific individuals, specified law enforcement officers, and was preparing to commit a Las Vegas style mass shooting with a specified deadline,” the department said in a statement. Fifty-eight people were killed and hundreds were wounded in Las Vegas in 2017 when a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest music festival from a nearby hotel. The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. It is not clear how authorities were made aware of Marsh’s alleged plot and how long they knew about it before his arrest. Officials could not immediately be reached to provide further information. Authorities allege that Marsh battered an officer with a table while he was being interviewed and threatened to kill other officers and their families.
LA Times
Florida Deputy Killed In Hit-and-Run; Suspect In Custody After Manhunt
A construction worker hit and killed a deputy on Interstate 275 Thursday night and then ran away, sparking a massive manhunt that ended Friday morning when he was taken into custody, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Victor Vazquez-Real, 35, was captured by 8:40 a.m. and was expected to be charged in connection to the death of Deputy Michael Hartwick, 51, deputies said. The crash happened near Roosevelt Boulevard after Hartwick started his shift about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said at a news conference Friday morning. Hartwick was working a traffic detail to provide safety for road construction crews who were working on I-275 overnight, Gualtieri said. Hartwick blocked the two inside southbound lanes of the interstate, got out of his patrol cruiser and was standing on the shoulder facing north when a Vazquez-Real, who was operating a front-end loader, struck him, Gualtieri said. The forklift was moving about 20 mph when it hit Hartwick, killing him instantly, Gualtieri said.
Tampa Bay Times
Florida Deputy Killed In Hit-and-Run; Suspect In Custody After Manhunt
A construction worker hit and killed a deputy on Interstate 275 Thursday night and then ran away, sparking a massive manhunt that ended Friday morning when he was taken into custody, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Victor Vazquez-Real, 35, was captured by 8:40 a.m. and was expected to be charged in connection to the death of Deputy Michael Hartwick, 51, deputies said. The crash happened near Roosevelt Boulevard after Hartwick started his shift about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said at a news conference Friday morning. Hartwick was working a traffic detail to provide safety for road construction crews who were working on I-275 overnight, Gualtieri said. Hartwick blocked the two inside southbound lanes of the interstate, got out of his patrol cruiser and was standing on the shoulder facing north when a Vazquez-Real, who was operating a front-end loader, struck him, Gualtieri said. The forklift was moving about 20 mph when it hit Hartwick, killing him instantly, Gualtieri said.
Tampa Bay Times
New Details Released In Slain North Carolina Deputy's Case
Deputy Ned Byrd was on his way to the Wake County Law Enforcement Training Center when he saw a suspicious pickup truck on the side of Battle Bridge Road, a two-lane road lined with fences and pastures. Byrd, in his Sheriff’s Office SUV, initially drove past the pickup just after 11 p.m. on the dark rural road in southeast Raleigh. But then he stopped and backed up, according to recently released search warrants. About two hours later Byrd, 48, was found dead lying in the grass with multiple gun shot wounds, including in the back of his head. The roughly 30 search warrants released this week describe videos that caught the final moments of the 13-year Sheriff’s Office veteran’s life and the steps officials took to identify, watch and arrest the two brothers now charged with his murder. Alder Marin-Sotelo, 25, and Arturo Marin-Sotelo, 29, were taken into custody Aug. 16 in Burke County and charged the next day in the killing that shook law enforcement agencies and officers across the state. One of the brothers told law enforcement that they planned to hunt for deer, but ended up killing the deputy, the warrants state.
Charlotte Observer
Public Safety News
Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Amtrak Train In Sun Valley
Authorities are investigating a pedestrian fatality in Sun Valley. According to Los Angeles Fire Department, the pedestrian was on the train tracks near N. San Fernando Road when they were struck by an oncoming Amtrak train at around 7:15 p.m. The person was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no reported injuries for passengers onboard the train. It was unclear why the pedestrian was on the tracks, and authorities are investigating the circumstances leading up to the incident.
CBS 2
Firefighters Stop Brush Fire Near 101 Freeway In Calabasas
A brush fire erupted on a hillside above Calabasas on Saturday afternoon, prompting a response from multiple agencies. The so-called Lobo Fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m. near the intersection of Parkway Calabasas and Calabasas Road. Almost an hour later, it had spread to about six acres. There were no immediate reports of injuries or structures threatened. Los Angeles city and county firefighters responded to the scene as part of a mutual aid agreement, along with sheriff's deputies from the Lost Hills station. At least one air tanker was seen dumping red Phos-Chek on the flames. At 5:33 p.m., the city of Calabasas said the fire was 75% contained, but expects more forward spread. Conditions in the area were marked by 96-degree temperatures and relative humidity of 18%, with wind gusts up to 12 mph, according to the L.A. County Fire Department. The cause of the fire is unknown.
ABC 7
COVID Still Kills In California, But The Demographics Of Its Victims Are Shifting
As California settles into a third year of pandemic, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat. But the number of people dying — and the demographics of those falling victim — has shifted notably from the first two years. Given the collective immunity people have garnered through a combination of mass vaccination and earlier infections, Californians overall were far less likely to die of COVID-19 in 2022, when the Omicron variant dominated, than in 2020 and 2021, when other variants were largely at play. That mirrored a national trend. Still, the coronavirus is killing hundreds of Californians each week, hitting hardest among the unvaccinated. COVID-19 remained among the state’s leading causes of death in July, trailing heart disease, cancer, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease but outpacing diabetes, accidental death and a host of other debilitating diseases. In the first seven months of the year, about 13,500 California residents died of COVID-19, according to preliminary death certificate data from the state Department of Public Health. By comparison, the disease killed about 31,400 people in 2020 and almost 44,000 in 2021.
LA Times
