Memorial Ceremony Honors 2 El Monte Police Officers Killed In The Line Of Duty Last Year

A solemn ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon to honor two El Monte police officers who were shot and killed one year ago while responding to a report of a stabbing at a motel. Police Sgt. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana are among several fallen law enforcement officers whose likenesses appear on a new memorial wall unveiled at the ceremony. The somber event included a flyover by a police helicopter as the officers' colleagues, loved ones and community members gathered outside El Monte police headquarters. "Having him miss out on all these amazing events that are happening in our children's lives has been the most difficult thing," said Janine Paredes, widow of Michael Paredes. On June 14, 2022, Paredes and Santana were gunned down outside a motel by a convicted felon, identified by authorities as Justin William Flores, who was on probation for a weapons violation. Flores later died by suicide. Critics say Flores should have previously remained incarcerated rather than being out of custody. The slain officers' families say the justice system failed to protect the officers and the community.

ABC 7

Fiery Crash Kills 4 People On 110 Freeway In South LA

Four people are dead after their car caught fire after crashing into concrete walls along the 110 Freeway near the Slauson Avenue exit in South LA. “The vehicle, for whatever reason, went through the right shoulder embankment, and then proceeded toward the Slauson Avenue on- ramp to the Southbound,” Lt. Robert Gomez of the California Highway Patrol said. “The vehicle then collided into the sound barrier and became engulfed in the flames.” Video footage from the scene shows the four-door Infinity sedan was crumpled and engulfed in heavy flames following the high-impact collision. Investigators say the collision happened at around 11:40 p.m. When CHP officers arrived at the scene, they found four people dead inside the wreckage. The ages and identities of the victims were not immediately available. The CHP did not confirm whether this car was involved in street racing before the collision. It’s not clear what caused the driver of the car to lose control, but Gomez said the preliminary investigation shows the car was traveling at a high speed at the time of the crash.

NBC 4

Man Killed In Gang-Related Shooting Near Boyle Heights

Police Friday are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in his 30s in what authorities believe was a gang-related shooting. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollenbeck Division responded before midnight Thursday to a shots fired call at Cummings and Fourth streets near Hollenbeck Park and upon their arrival found the victim with gunshots wounds, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe the shooting was gang-related and there was no suspect description.

MyNewsLA

$50,000 Reward Offered In Fatal Hit-and-Run That Killed 68-Year-Old Man In South L.A.

Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are asking the public for information related to a fatal hit-and-run crash in Historic South-Central Los Angeles that killed a 68-year-old bicyclist. The deadly collision occurred on April 13 at around 3:35 a.m. as a dark-colored 2007-2010 Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling eastbound on Adams Boulevard from Trinity Street and rear-ended the victim, identified by police as Salvador Gonzalez Arechiga, as he was riding his bicycle. The driver of the SUV continued eastbound on Adams Boulevard at a high rate of speed, failing to stop, identify himself or attempt to render aid to the 68-year-old, who was thrown from his bike, causing severe life-threatening injuries. Personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene and transported Arechiga to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Arechiga’s family described the 68-year-old, nicknamed Chava, as a beloved husband, father of two and grandfather of five, who was adventurous, friendly, outgoing and just a “kid at heart.” They say their family deserves justice. Detectives were able to obtain video of the hit-and-run driver and a passenger in the Tahoe prior to the collision.  

KTLA 5

Former High School Dean Arrested For Pursuing Sexual Relationship With Student; Additional Victims Sought

A former high school dean was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly pursuing a sexual relationship with a student, and authorities are seeking more potential victims. Roger Scott, 43, was arrested on suspicion on contacting a minor with knowledge and intent to commit specific sexual offenses, according to a statement from Los Angeles Police Department. Scott, a Lakewood resident who was formerly the dean at a high school located near the 9700 block of Holmes Avenue, stopped working with the school in November of 2022. He was arrested "after a report was received from a student alleging ongoing inappropriate sexual text messages and emails" and "pursuing her for sexual intercourse over a two-year period" while he was working at the school. The address for the school provided by police matches that of College Bridge Academy - Watts. The charter school academy has three other locations in Compton, El Sereno and Inglewood, according to their website. Scott has since been released on $25,000 bail and is scheduled in court on June 29. 

CBS 2

L.A. Residents Asked To Be On The Lookout For Vehicle Linked To Elderly Woman’s Murder In Santa Barbara

Authorities in Santa Barbara County have released new images of a vehicle wanted in connection with a 96-year-old woman’s brutal home invasion murder last year. Violet Evelyn Alberts was found dead in Montecito on May 27, 2022. Local outlets reported that the elderly woman was smothered to death in her own home, with her one-time lawyer saying she struggled and put up a fight. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has provided limited details about the ongoing investigation but has said that a motive has been determined and the attack was not random. In a news release issued earlier this month, the Sheriff’s Office said Alberts had been the victim of fraud which was actively being investigated by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. The alleged fraudster, who is identified as Pauline Macareno by the Santa Barbara Independent, has been in custody since August 2022, but detectives are still searching for the alleged killer.

KTLA 5

California Attorney General Warns Of Scams Targeting Seniors

Every year scammers steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting seniors, and according to California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta, it's a problem that is only getting worse. "It's important to talk about elder abuse. Sometimes there is stigma, shame, embarrassment. No one should be shameful,” Bonta said. Bonta is talking about thieves who target seniors by scamming them through phone calls or emails. It's a major problem affecting thousands of people statewide, including Bonta's own mother Cynthia. "She's loving and trusting. She's not hugely tech savvy either,” Bonta said. Bonta’s mother was victimized twice and had money stolen from her. "One was that tech support customer scam and another one was we have embarrassing photos of you that we will release,” Bonta said. That is why state and local law enforcement officials held a press conference at Dale’s senior center in downtown Riverside to warn seniors about the growing problem. Some say they've already been targeted, like Jaime Beltran, who says a scammer recently called her claiming to be from Amazon.

NBC 4

Georgia Officer Shot In The Line Of Duty Returning Home Nearly A Year Later

A Clayton County police officer who was shot while responding to a call about a suicidal person will return home after nearly a year of treatment and rehabilitation for her injuries, police said. Officer Demika Lloyd was hit with multiple gunshots as she tried to wrestle a gun away from another woman on July 27, 2022, Clayton police said. The suspected shooter, 25-year-old Aiyanah Pryor, left the scene after the shooting while Lloyd lay on the ground. Lloyd did not receive medical assistance until an ambulance arrived later and she was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. It’s not clear how long she lay there without treatment or if the delay affected her medical condition. As she recovered from her injuries, Lloyd moved from the hospital to a rehab facility where she has spent most of the last year, police spokeswoman Julia Isaac said. On Friday, Lloyd will finally return to her home for the first time since the shooting. She will continue to receive in-home care and does not have a timetable for returning to work, Isaac said. Clayton police are inviting the community to celebrate Lloyd’s homecoming Friday at 3:45 p.m. at their headquarters. Lloyd had worked for the department for less than two years when she was injured. “Please line the streets and the front lawn with signs and posters welcoming Officer Demika Lloyd back home,” the invitation said.

Atlanta Journal Constitution

Watch: North Carolina Sheriff's K-9 Remembered As A ‘Social Butterfly' After Being Killed In The Line Of Duty

Santos was a good boy.” The K-9, who was shot and killed while on duty in May, was remembered fondly by his handler and others Wednesday during an emotional memorial service in Raleigh. Bagpipes droned as a wall of Wake County Sheriff’s Officers, including the German shepherd’s handler and companion, dressed in black in a processional into the Kerr Scott Building at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. Officers from around the county gathered to honor their fallen, four-legged friend. K-9 Officer Maria Fuentes, Santos’ handler, gave a tearful eulogy of her beloved dog, referring to him as a “social butterfly.” She spoke fondly of memories of Santos playfully running through her yard, playing with her nieces and nephews. Fuentes frequently paused to collect herself as she became increasingly emotional. “In the blink of an eye, my heart was broken instantly,” Fuentes said. “Santos had crossed over the rainbow bridge.” Sergeant Jason Bordeaux, head of the K-9 unit, remembered Santos as a successful and good working dog and talked about the relationship between handlers and their partners.

The News & Observer (Raleigh)

Fire Tears Through Roof Of Commercial Building In Downtown Los Angeles

Firefighters battled a heavy fire that tore through the roof of a commercial building in downtown Los Angeles. The fire broke out at the building in the 700 block of East 9th Street between San Pedro and Crocker streets. Video captured by AIR7HD showed flames rising from the roof, spreading smoke through the area nearby. The fire spread through at least three commercial units. It took 117 LAFD firefighters more than an hour to extinguish the flames. No injuries were reported. Firefighters remained at scene overnight to overhaul a large amount of smoldering debris. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

ABC 7

96.4% Of Americans Had COVID-19 Antibodies In Their Blood By Fall 2022

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were present in the blood of 96.4% of Americans over the age of 16 by September 2022. That’s according to a serosurvey – an analysis testing for the presence of these immune defense molecules – conducted on samples from blood donors. A serosurvey like this one helps researchers estimate how many people have been exposed to any part of the coronavirus, whether via vaccination or infection. Both can trigger the generation of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. And by identifying which kind of antibodies someone has in their blood, researchers can break down the 96.4% into different types of immunity: infection-derived, vaccine-derived and hybrid. COVID-19 vaccines used in the United States are based on only one part of the virus – the spike, or S, protein. Researchers can tell that a person has been vaccinated and has not been infected if their blood has only anti-S antibodies that target that spike protein. If someone has anti-N antibodies, which target the virus’s nucleocapsid protein, it’s a sign that they’ve been infected by SARS-CoV-2. To reliably identify someone with hybrid immunity, a researcher would need to match someone who has anti-N antibodies to an official vaccination database.

KTLA 5

COVID Vaccine Should Be Updated To Target XBB Strain, FDA Committee Says

With an eye toward enhancing protection against the coronavirus, which is still evolving and circulating, federal health advisors said Thursday that the next round of COVID-19 vaccines should be updated to target one of the XBB strains currently dominating the viral landscape. The unanimous recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory committee follows that of agency staff, who in a memo acknowledged that while older vaccine formulas can still help stave off severe disease, “protection wanes with time and is reduced against subsequent waves of variant viruses.” It also sets the stage for the next phase in the nation’s years-long inoculation campaign, an effort that’s been widely credited with helping end the pandemic emergency, even as public interest in additional shots continues to wane. This would mark the second wide reformulation of COVID-19 vaccines, following the release of a “bivalent” shot last September. That version offered protection against both the then-dominant Omicron subvariants and the ancestral coronavirus strain, but the FDA panel recommended not including the latter this time.

Los Angeles Times

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 9,200 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.