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Law Enforcement News
DA Chesa Boudin recalled: San Franciscans resoundingly reject the top cop whose negligent tenure reduced the city to tatters
Boudin’s time as San Francisco’s top cop is over, and the resounding numbers tell a cautionary tale: voters don’t want extremes, they want commonsense. It is possible to be progressive on criminal justice reform while also incarcerating people who are a danger to society. Most of all, if you run for a job based on ideology, make sure you can back it up with policies that work. Mainstream media like the San Francisco Chronicle regularly touted data cherry-picked by Boudin himself with headlines screaming “Crime is down!” But major offenses like firearms felonies were often left out of the mix. In fact, Boudin‘s office dismissed, discharged, or diverted nearly 80 percent of felony firearms cases — many of them against repeat violent offenders who went on to commit more gun crimes, including murder.
LA Weekly/Marina Times
Los Angeles DA Gascon Blames Increasing Crime On ‘Bad Policies' That ‘Over-Criminalize Communities'
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon on Wednesday said rising violent crime in the city is the result of "bad policies" that "over-criminalize communities." His comments came after San Francisco voters ousted District Attorney Chesa Boudin — a move that some political commentators interpreted as a preview into Gascon's fate, as his critics effort signatures to hold a similar recall vote in LA. Gascon noted during his town hall discussion Tuesday evening that homicides have been increasing in cities across the country, in both "conservative and progressive jurisdictions." "I think that people feel their safety compromised," he said. Gascon continued: "To create a safer community, absolutely we have to hold people accountable, but we also have to understand that we cannot do business as we always have and think that we're going to get any safer because the reality is that the problems we have today [are] the result of many of the bad policies that over-criminalize communities without really looking for a path forward to create the reduction of crime, the prevention of crime." Some Twitter users criticized the district attorney's remarks. "The problems are a lack of high bail for arrestees, short or no incarceration for convicts, no treatment for the mentally ill, understaffed police departments, concentrated attacks on traditional values, politicians who blame inanimate guns instead of criminals & progressive DAs," the National Police Association tweeted.
FOX News
Man, 18, Pleads Not Guilty To Firing Ghost Gun At Two LAPD Officers
An 18-year-old man pleaded not guilty Thursday to attempted murder and other counts for allegedly firing with a so-called “ghost gun” at two Los Angeles police officers in a patrol vehicle. Anthony Lamont Hill is charged with two counts each of attempted murder of a peace officer in the performance of their duties and assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a peace officer in the performance of their duties, along with one count of carrying an unregistered firearm in public, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Two officers in a marked patrol vehicle tried to contact Hill after they allegedly saw him walking May 23 on Washington Boulevard with a weapon, but he allegedly ran from officers, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Hill allegedly turned around and fired a 9mm Polymer80 unregistered handgun at the officers as they drove toward him, with bullet strikes subsequently observed in the officers’ patrol vehicle, prosecutors said. Hill was arrested the following day by Los Angeles police, according to jail records.
MyNewsLA.com
LAPD Investigation Finds No Threat After Social Media Scare Of Mass Shooting Downtown
A threat of a mass shooting in downtown Los Angeles that was supposedly planned for Thursday and went viral on social media was determined not credible and no arrests have been made, authorities said. With the Summit of the Americas taking place in L.A. this week, federal and local law enforcement officials were already on a heightened alert, with an incident command post established downtown. President Biden is in town to participate in the summit, which includes political leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere. Authorities began investigating Tuesday as reports of a mass shooting planned for Thursday began to spread across social media. According to law enforcement sources, the Los Angeles Police Department ultimately traced the rumors to a person with mental health issues. “On June 7, 2022, the Los Angeles Police Department was alerted to a possible mass shooting threat made to the Downtown L.A. area,” LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz said. “It was determined there was no credible threat made and no crime occurred.”
Los Angeles Times
Shooter In Dark Sedan Sought In Fatal Freeway Shooting Of Man In Pickup
The search was on Thursday for someone in a dark sedan who shot and killed a man traveling in another vehicle. The shooting happened in North Hills next to the 405 Freeway around 5 p.m. at Roscoe Boulevard and Haskell Avenue. The area is always busy with vehicle and foot traffic, yet police say that didn’t stop someone from pulling up next to a truck in motion and fatally shooting the driver. Police covered the victim’s white Ford pickup truck with a tent where it rolled to a stop between a gas station and a Tommy's hamburger restaurant. The vehicle with the body still inside sat curbside for hours in the shadow of the landmark Budweiser plant. No arrests were made Thursday. The crime scene was at a major intersection in a well travelled area, which might help yield witnesses and clues. "Witnesses described seeing a black sedan leaving south on Haskell, possibly west on Roscoe," said LAPD Detective Mark O'Donnell. "Looks like car to car, occupant fired at our victim, striking him."
NBC 4
Father Suspected Of DUI In Porter Ranch Crash Left His 3 Children Injured, Killed Their Mother
A father was arrested on suspicion of DUI following a crash on the 118 Freeway in Porter Ranch that left his three children injured and killed their mother late Thursday night. The solo-vehicle crash occurred around 11:50 p.m. on the westbound side of the freeway near Reseda Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol’s traffic incident log. The driver of a Lexus drifted off the highway, went around a guard rail and then crashed into a right-shoulder embankment, CHP Sgt. Steve Geraty said. The fuel line was ruptured in the crash causing the vehicle to burst into flames with the family of five still inside, Geraty said. The crash was witnessed by four Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers who were on their way home. The officers helped pull people out of the vehicle before the flames became too intense. “They saved four lives,” Geraty said. The 31-year-old mother was not able to be rescued and died as a result of the crash and fire. The children rescued from the vehicle ranged in age from infant to about 12 years old, Geraty said.
KTLA 5
Police Looking For 2 Men After Arleta Hit-and-Run: LAPD
The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for two men who were allegedly involved in a hit-and-run in Arleta on Sunday that left a man in critical condition. The crash at Beachy Avenue and Osborne Street happened at about 1:15 a.m., when the two men were driving a stolen U-Haul van that crashed into a Toyota Yaris, police said in a news release. The men abandoned the van without trying to help the driver of the Toyota, who “suffered severe injuries” and was taken in critical condition to Holy Cross Hospital, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Wade at 818-351-6391. To submit information anonymously, call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
KTLA 5
Man Charged With Killing Man At Malibu Campground Is Convicted Of Attacking Deputies
A jury in downtown LA convicted a man of attacking two deputies while awaiting trial for the murder of a father shot to death while camping with his daughters at Malibu Creek State Park. Anthony Rauda, 46, was not in court when the verdict was read Thursday afternoon in downtown LA. The jurors also found true an aggravating factor on one of the counts: that Rauda is a danger to society. That finding can affect sentencing. Rauda is also awaiting trial for the murder of 35-year-old Tristan Beaudette, who was shot to death in 2018 as he slept inside a tent at the Park with his 2- and 4-year-old daughters at his side. The children were unhurt. Rauda is also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder for a series of seemingly random shootings around the park that date back to 2016. He has pleaded not guilty. The jury Thursday returned guilty verdicts on two counts of battery on a peace officer for two incidents that happened inside the courthouse lockup following his arrest in the murder case. One happened in March 2020 when Rauda was accused of punching a deputy in the jaw and wrenching the deputy’s wrist. The second was in 2021 when Rauda was accused of attacking a deputy with a pencil, after Rauda was removed from a hearing for an outburst.
NBC 4
Culver City Police Arrest Registered Sex Offender For Multiple Peeping Incidents
Police on Wednesday arrested a convicted sex offender for multiple peeping incidents in Culver City this week. The Culver City Police Department said they received a call about a man who had been looking into the front window of a woman's home Tuesday. CCPD said the suspect had fled by the time they arrived that evening. After reviewing surveillance footage, the victim said the suspect had been outside looking into their residence on Monday night as well. CCPD identified the suspect as Shondel Larkin, a registered sex offender who is currently on parole. Authorities confirmed through Larkin's GPS tracker that he had been lurking around the victim's residence both nights. After surveilling Larkin, CCPD arrested him after they say he was observed leering at a woman inside a separate Culver City residence Wednesday. The victim said she did not know the suspect. Police said Larkin had been previously booked for multiple offenses of peeking while prowling.
ABC 7
Authorities Announce Reward For Info On Man Suspected Of Killing 14-Year-Old
Authorities Thursday announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man suspected of fatally shooting a 14-year-old boy in Compton. Eduardo Sanchez, 29, is wanted for the murder of Ivan Villareal, who was found on Aug. 10, 2021, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest inside a camper in the 4200 block of East San Luis Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The department did not explain why Sanchez was suspected of the murder. Sanchez is 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Ivan’s family told deputies he had been missing since Aug. 8 and they had reported him missing to the sheriff’s department the following day. While searching for his son on Aug. 10, Villareal’s father found him dead inside the camper, Koerner said. It was not disclosed who owned the camper.
MyNewsLA.com
Missing Simi Valley Girl Found At Home Of Human Trafficking Suspect In Compton
A man accused of trafficking underage girls on social media apps and housing a missing Simi Valley girl at his Compton home was arrested on several charges Wednesday. Jose Diaz Velasco, 24, was arrested after evidence pointed to him as the person allegedly arranging sexual encounters with minors, according to authorities. The missing girl was found at Velasco's home at the time of his arrest. She was taken into protective custody by Ventura County Children and Family Services. Velasco was arrested on several charges including human trafficking of a minor and pimping of a minor 16 years and older. No other details were immediately available.
FOX 11
Authorities: 3 Dead, Trooper Wounded In Maryland Workplace Shooting
An employee opened fire at a manufacturing business in rural western Maryland on Thursday, killing three coworkers before the suspect and a state trooper were wounded in a shootout, authorities said. Washington County Sheriff Doug Mullendore said that three victims were found dead at Columbia Machine Inc. in Smithsburg and a fourth victim was critically injured. The sheriff said at a news conference that the victims and suspect were all employees at the facility. The suspect fled in a vehicle before authorities arrived at the scene and was tracked down by Maryland State Police, Mullendore said. The suspect and a trooper were wounded in an exchange of gunfire, according to the sheriff. Mullendore said the suspect was a 42-year-old man but declined to release his name while criminal charges were being prepared. The sheriff identified those killed in the shooting as Mark Alan Frey, 50; Charles Edward Minnick Jr., 31; and Joshua Robert Wallace, 30. Mullendore said the wounded victim was Brandon Chase Michael, 42.
Associated Press
Public Safety News
Motorcycle Rider Killed Following Collision In Westlake District
One person was killed in a two-vehicle crash in the Westlake District Thursday morning, after a motorcycle rider collided with another vehicle. The crash was reported just before 5:30 near the intersection of Third Street and Rampart Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. When officers arrived, the motorcycle rider was neither conscious nor breathing, and was pronounced dead at the scene. It was not immediately clear what led up to the collision, but the driver of the car remained on scene and waited for authorities to arrive. The area was expected to remain closed for some time Thursday as the investigation continued.
CBS 2
Several People Rescued Via Airlift Thursday After Vehicle Rolls 300 Feet Down Embankment iIn Angeles National Forest
Multiple people required rescue via airlift Thursday evening after their vehicle rolled down an embankment in the Angeles National Forest. The incident was first reported just after 11 a.m. Thursday on the Angeles Crest Highway, near mile marker 27-50, when the vehicle reportedly drove through the guardrail lining the road and rolled over 300 feet to the bottom of the embankment. Los Angeles County Fire Department crews sent to the scene, accompanied by a helicopter, were able to rescue the four occupants via airlift. Each was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment -- three by helicopter and one by ambulance. Their statuses were not immediately known. California Highway Patrol investigators detailed that there was no indication that the car was speeding before the crash, though witnesses at the scene described a different series of events.
CBS 2
Several People Rescued Via Airlift Thursday After Vehicle Rolls 300 Feet Down Embankment iIn Angeles National Forest
In the Northeast, COVID-19 cases appear to be in a plateau, but what does that mean for Southern California? A former White House COVID advisor told Eyewitness News what he predicts for the summer and fall as a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted to recommend emergency use authorization for the two-dose Novavax for Americans 18 and older. This comes as we see cases across the country start to level off. Pediatric cases are also starting to decline, but that's not the situation in Southern California. "It's concerning that cases in the West and the South are still rising. Hospitalizations, nationally, are still rising," said former COVID White House Senior Advisor Dr. Tom Inglesby with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He said officials are tracking the upward trends in California. In Los Angeles County, the average number of COVID-positive patients per day is 515, an increase of 118% from one month ago. "In the fall and the winter, we will possibly see new surges that may be more serious than the ones that we're in now," he said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now tracking a rise in BA.4 and BA.5 cases.
ABC 7
California Officials Fear ‘Tough' 2022 Fire Season
Fire officials said they anticipate a challenging fire season during a news conference involving a dozen agencies Thursday. With a tough fire season expected, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby explained 90% of wildfires in California are directly related to human causes. This comes as the cause of the Laguna Niguel fire is being investigated as "human related." The May 11 fire destroyed 20 homes and damaged nearly a dozen other homes in Laguna Niguel. Officials said during Thursday's press conference to expect strict brush clearance inspections. In addition, these fire officials are considering updating the residential safety guidelines for homes located in wildfire areas. With mutual aid being a critical factor of firefighting in California, officials announced adding resources, including three helicopters. In the meantime, California will continue leasing its superscoopers from Canada and contracting through the Forest Service to use the massive DC-10 tankgers.
FOX 11
