Law Enforcement News
Murder Suspect In Custody After Hours-Long Standoff With LAPD In North Hollywood Neighborhood
Police arrested a murder suspect who led them on a chase and then barricaded himself for hours in a home in a North Hollywood neighborhood Thursday. LAPD said the barricade began just after 2:30 p.m. in the 7200 block of Radford. The suspect led officers on a chase the ended near Elkwood Street and Radford. It's unknown how long the pursuit lasted, but police say the suspect ran into a home after it ended. A SWAT team was called to the scene and the man was taken into custody around 9 p.m. It's unclear if anyone was in the home at the time, or if the suspect knew anyone who lives there.
ABC 7
Man Linked To Shootings Of Two Jewish Men In Pico-Robertson Arrested
Police arrested a man linked to two separate shootings of Jewish men in Los Angeles’ Pico-Robertson neighborhood, multiple law enforcement sources told NBC News. The name of the man was not immediately released. Authorities believe both shootings were carried out by the same gunman. The Los Angeles Police Department said the suspect was arrested in Riverside County and that the case is being investigated as a hate crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division on the case. The first shooting happened around 9:55 a.m. Wednesday on the 1400 block of Shenandoah Street and involved a man in his 40s, according to the LAPD. The second incident happened Thursday around 8:30 a.m. on the 1600 block of S. Bedford Street and involved a man in his 70s. Both men had just left a synagogue, and the shootings happened less than a mile apart. A statement posted Thursday to the Anti Defamation League's twitter feed by Regional Director Jeffrey I. Abrams stated that, "For the second time in as many days, a member of the Jewish community was assaulted with a deadly weapon leaving a house of worship in the Pico-Robertson area.”
NBC 4
CSUN Student ID'd As Victim Killed In Northridge Crash Involving Robbery Suspect In Police Chase
A 19-year-old Cal State Northridge student was identified as the innocent victim killed early Thursday morning in a high-speed crash involving a pair of armed robbery suspect who were being chased by police. Eric Barbosa's family said he was employed at a Marshalls department store in Granada Hills and was on his way home from working the night shift when his car was struck. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, shortly after 12:30 a.m. officers spotted an SUV that was being sought in connection with an armed robbery that occurred Wednesday. The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop at White Oak Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard, but the driver refused to pull over and the pursuit began, an LAPD spokesperson said. The suspects' SUV was heading westbound on Roscoe when it went through a red light and slammed into a car that was traveling southbound on Lindley Avenue. The chase lasted less than a mile.
ABC 7
Exposition Park: Empty, Overturned SUV Found With Bullet Holes In Windshield
Officers responding to a traffic accident found an empty, overturned Chevy Tahoe with bullet holes in the windshield in Exposition Park early Friday morning. A crash involving a dark-colored SUV was reported at 3:36 a.m. at the intersection of Figueroa Street and State Drive, according to the Los Angeles Police Dept. Moments earlier there was a report of shots fired in the area of Jefferson Blvd. and Figueroa about a half-mile north of the crash location. The SUV was found crashed between a tree and a pole and was unoccupied. At least three bullet holes were seen in the windshield. Police were checking area hospitals for potential victims.
CBS 2
Van Nuys High School Student Detained For Replica Firearm On Campus
Van Nuys High School was briefly placed on lockdown today in response to a report of a student with a gun, which turned out to be replica firearm. Officers responded to the school around 1 p.m. in response to the report of a weapon on campus, and the school was placed on lockdown. ABC7 reported from the scene that officers quickly located the student and determined the weapon was a replica. The student was detained and the lockdown was lifted within two hours, the station reported.
LA Daily News
Man Wanted For Attempted Kidnapping And Robbery On UCLA Campus
Police are searching for a man who allegedly attempted to kidnap and rob multiple victims at the University of California, Los Angeles. The suspect had approached victims in two different parking structures on campus, according to UCLA police. He is described as a Black male between 25 and 40 years old. He stands 5 feet 10 inches tall, has a slim build and has short, dark hair with brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt with white lettering and light blue jeans. The first incident happened on Feb. 5 near Parking Structure 1 around 4:30 p.m., authorities said. The suspect approached a victim and held onto her hands while refusing to let go, police said. He demanded she hand over money and attempted to take her to another location, claiming he had a gun with him. The second incident happened a short time later, around 6:45 p.m., police said. Two victims reported the suspect had approached them near Parking Structure 7 while attempting to take them to another location, authorities said.
KTLA 5
Westwood Man Pleads Guilty In $5 Million Bond Scam
A Westwood man pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding victims out of about $5 million by purporting to sell bonds for large-scale construction and other projects. Tommy Watts, 63, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count each of money laundering and tax evasion, which together carry a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong set sentencing for Sept. 8. Watts was charged in June with multiple counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, tax evasion and willful failure to file tax returns. From September 2016 to September 2019, he falsely claimed to be experienced in providing surety bonds and other financial guarantees for large-scale projects. Watts told victims that he would assist them in obtaining financing for their projects via his various companies, including the Sherman Oaks-based Source One Surety LLC, and misrepresented that any such bonds or guarantees were underwritten by well-known companies and banks, and that they were backed by assets in the millions or billions of dollars, according to papers filed in Los Angeles federal court.
MyNewsLA
Suspect In Half Moon Bay Mass Shooting Pleads Not Guilty
The man accused of gunning down seven migrant farmworkers last month during a shooting rampage at two mushroom farms in the coastal hamlet of Half Moon Bay pleaded not guilty Thursday to a slew of murder charges. Chunli Zhao, 66, showed little emotion while denying the charges against him in the Jan. 23 attack, which ranks as the deadliest mass shooting in San Mateo County’s history. Appearing behind glass in the courtroom, wearing a red jail jumpsuit with his head bowed, Zhao appeared far less demonstrative than he did at his last hearing Feb. 10. At that proceeding, Zhao sobbed openly in court while a judge imposed a gag order barring attorneys from speaking to the media. His wails were so loud that the judge called for a brief recess. He spoke only three times Thursday, answering in the affirmative when a Mandarin translator relayed several questions from the judge about his understanding of his rights and his not-guilty plea.
LA Times
Kansas City Officer, K-9 And Pedestrian Killed In Crash
Kansas City Police Officer James Muhlbauer was identified as the victim of a fatal crash that unfolded Wednesday while he was patrolling with his K9 police dog. The collision occurred about 10:15 p.m. when the officer’s patrol car was hit by another vehicle, causing a secondary impact with a pedestrian, said Sgt. Jake Becchina, a police department spokesman. The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene. Muhlbauer, a 20 year veteran of the department, was taken to a hospital where he died. The police dog, Champ, was also killed in the crash. The driver of the vehicle that hit the police car was injured and was in police custody pending investigation. In a message posted to Twitter, Mayor Quinton Lucas said the city is grieving for the officer, the pedestrian and the police dog. “This morning, our city mourns the loss of life of a twenty-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department, along with an innocent civilian and a canine officer,” Lucas wrote. “My prayers are with the families and friends of those we have lost and all of the women and men of law enforcement.”
Kansas City Star
Buffalo Supermarket Shooter Given Life Sentence
A white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after relatives of his victims confronted him with pain and rage caused by his racist attack. Anger briefly turned physical at Payton Gendron’s sentencing when a man in the audience rushed at him. The man was quickly restrained; prosecutors later said he wouldn’t be charged. The proceeding then resumed with more emotional outpouring from people who lost loved ones or were themselves wounded in the attack. Gendron, whose hatred was fueled by racist conspiracy theories he encountered online, cried during some of the testimony and apologized to victims and their families in a brief statement. Some angrily condemned him; others quoted from the Bible or said they were praying for him. Several pointed out that he deliberately attacked a Black community far from his nearly all-white hometown.
Associated Press
Public Safety News
'LA Has Outgrown Its Fire Department': LAFD's 4K Personnel Struggle To Serve Population Of 4M
The Los Angeles Fire Department has less than 4,000 personnel servicing the city of Los Angeles, which has a population of 4 million. "It’s clear to see, Los Angeles has outgrown its fire department," an LAFD Paramedic told FOX 11. FOX 11 interviewed multiple paramedics who said the department needs more fire stations, ambulances, medical supplies, and more personnel. They say the lack of resources is slowing down emergency response times. "This didn't happen overnight, back in 2007, the fire department was decimated. We removed 318 positions, didn't hire one individual for five years," said Freddy Escobar, President of the United Firefighters of LA City. "I came on in May of 1989, we were averaging 500 calls a day," he said. "Today, we average approximately 2,000 calls a day and we have fewer fire stations and fewer members today than we did 33 plus years ago." Due to a staff shortage, firefighters and paramedics have at times, been forced to work overtime for long extended periods. "They're working 5, 7, 10 days in a row without any relief because we didn't have the staffing that this city should represent. So, I understand their frustration," said Escobar.
FOX 11
Firefighters Extinguish Greater Alarm Fire In Van Nuys
A greater-alarm fire burned in a commercial building in Van Nuys for more than 90 minutes Thursday evening before being extinguished by more than 120 firefighters. The fire in the building housing an automotive repair firm was reported around 6:15 p.m. in the 15000 block of Stagg Street, between Sepulveda Boulevard and Kester Avenue, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
MyNewsLA
Hospital Seeks Help Identifying Patient Found In Los Angeles County
Hospital staff is hoping the public can help identify an unknown patient in Los Angeles County. The unidentified man was found at 653 South Hope Street on Tuesday. He was transported to the LAC+USC Medical Center where he remains hospitalized. Officials are searching for the man’s family or acquaintances. He has no identifiable markers on him. He is described as a man around 30 to 35 years old, standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 218 pounds. He has a shaved head, brown eyes and a medium to heavy build. Anyone with information is asked to call Cesar Robles, a Clinical Social Worker at LAC+USC Medical Center at 323-409-6884 or 323-409-5253.
KTLA 5
Fire Engulfs Culver City Auto Body Shop
Los Angeles and Culver City firefighters are battling a blaze that has consumed an auto body shop. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire started at about 10:10 p.m. on the 9300 block of west Venice Boulevard. There have been no reports of injury. Traffic will be impacted as firefighters try to extinguish the blaze.
CBS 2
COVID-Related Hospitalizations Tick Upward Slightly In LA County
The number of COVID-19-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals ticked upward slightly with nearly 700, while 1,144 new infections were reported in the latest data. According to state figures, there were 699 COVID-positive patients hospitalized in the county, up from 689 on Wednesday. Of those patients, 85 were being treated in intensive care units, up from 73 a day earlier. The 1,144 new cases lifted the county’s cumulative total from throughout the pandemic to 3,693,237. The daily case numbers released by the county are undercounts of actual virus activity in the county, due to people who use at-home tests and don’t report the results, and others who don’t test at all. The county Department of Public Health reported 20 new virus-related deaths on Thursday, raising the pandemic death toll to 35,528. The seven-day average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus in the county was 6.5% as of Thursday. The rate has been mostly steady for more than a week.
MyNewsLA
Local Government News
Former LA Councilman Paul Koretz Fined By Ethics Commission
Former City Councilman Paul Koretz was fined $2,500 this week by the Ethics Commission for asking a city commissioner to host a fundraising event for him when he was running for city controller last year. Koretz, who was termed out of the Los Angeles City Council and ended up losing the city controller race to Kenneth Mejia, sought in 2021 to hold a fundraiser at the home of Jill Banks Barad-Hopkins, a Board of Water and Power commissioner. City commissioners are not allowed to fundraise for candidates running for city office. Barad-Hopkins had already been fined by the commission for the violation. The fine, handed down on Wednesday, “demonstrates that the Ethics Commission is committed to upholding the laws that protect the integrity of the electoral process and help to foster public confidence in local government,” according to Jeffrey Daar, president of the Ethics Commission.
LA daily News
