Police Officers Pelted With Bottles, Pipes After Responding To Shooting In South LA

A woman was taken into custody after she was seen standing on a rooftop and pelting LAPD officers below with glass bottles and metal pipes after police responded to a shooting in South Los Angeles. The bizarre incident began after the shooting was reported late Thursday night near the intersection of East 51st Street and Avalon Boulevard. After officers arrived at the scene and launched an investigation, a suspect on the roof of a smoke shop began throwing objects at police who were on the street below, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said. No officers were injured by the projectiles. The woman was later taken into custody but refused to identify herself, the spokesperson said. Others who were detained in connection with the shooting were released. The extent of the shooting victim's injuries was unclear. The victim declined to cooperate with investigators, the LAPD said. No information about a suspect in the shooting was available.

ABC 7

L.A. Motorcycle Officer Injured When Pursuit Ends In Crash

A motorcycle officer with the Los Angeles Police Department was taken to the hospital after reportedly getting struck by a car during a stolen vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash on Thursday. Calls about the “officer down” in the area of Community Street and Noble Avenue came in at around 3:41 p.m., police told KTLA. Aerial footage from Sky5 showed a heavy police presence in the area, along with medical personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department, who were placing the involved motorcycle officer into the back of an ambulance. No information about the officer’s condition was provided. Just a half mile away, at Kester Avenue and Parthenia Street, police were taking one of the suspects involved in the alleged pursuit into custody after a two-vehicle crash. A silver sedan and a white SUV could be seen from Sky5 in the intersection after the collision. Though it’s unclear which one of the vehicles was involved in the alleged pursuit, damage to the front of the silver sedan could be seen. It was unclear if the officer was struck by the alleged stolen vehicle involved in the pursuit.

KTLA 5

Man Shot And Killed At Homeless Encampment In Front Of L.A. City Hall

A man was shot and killed near Los Angeles City Hall early Thursday, police said. The man, a 30-year-old Latino who is believed to have been homeless, was on the sidewalk near 1st and Spring streets when he was shot by an unknown assailant about 3:05 a.m., said Officer Melissa Podany of the Los Angeles Police Department. The attacker approached the man, pulled out a handgun and shot him once, Podany said. It’s unclear what led to the shooting. The Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced the man dead at the scene. He has not been identified. The suspect fled in a vehicle. Police said there was no available description of the suspect or the vehicle. Video from the scene shows firefighters tending to a man wearing shorts and white sneakers lying on the sidewalk near several tents and tarps. A white bicycle with no front tire sits upside-down on the street nearby, outside a fence lining a lot just south of Gloria Molina Grand Park on Spring Street. The encampment next to Grand Park, across the street from City Hall, has existed in some form for at least two years.

Los Angeles Times

Elderly Man Killed, 2nd Pedestrian Injured In South Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Crash

Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver involved in a crash that killed an elderly man and hospitalized another man in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Los Angeles Thursday night. The incident was reported around 9:30 p.m. in the 4200 block of Santa Rosalia Drive. A witness at the scene said she had been driving down the street when she saw the two people down in the roadway and called for help. First responders arrived and transported the victims to local hospitals. One of the victims, described by the Los Angles Police Department as an 85-year-old male, was pronounced dead at the hospital. A 40-year-old male victim was listed in stable condition at the hospital, police said. No suspect or suspect vehicle descriptions were immediately available.

KTLA 5

Mail Carrier Robbed At Gunpoint In North Hollywood

A United States Postal Service carrier was robbed at gunpoint in North Hollywood, and authorities Thursday asked for the public’s help in finding the suspects. According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, two men approached a letter carrier at around 10:20 a.m. near 5522 Vineland Avenue on Tuesday. They robbed him at gunpoint before fleeing in a vehicle presumed to be a black 2019 BMW X6 SUV with black rims. One of the suspects was described as a man between 25-35 years old. According to investigators, he was wearing a black hoodie, black jeans, and dark sneakers, while the second suspect wore a white face mask, a gray hoodie, dark-colored jeans and white sneakers. There was no description for the third suspect, who was the getaway driver. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.

MyNewsLA

Curren Price's Arraignment Delayed On Criminal Charges

Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price made his first court appearance Thursday on criminal charges of theft by embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest for allegedly voting on projects involving developers tied to his wife's consulting firm, then failing to report the connections. Price is now set to be arraigned Aug. 28 at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse. Superior Court Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet allowed the 72-year-old councilman to remain free on his own recognizance, but granted Deputy District Attorney Casey Higgins' request for two conditions requiring that Price be fingerprinted and booked and that he announce any conflicts of interest on any contracts or agreements before the City Council and immediately recuse himself from voting on those issues. 

Westside Current

2 Arrested In Burglary Attempt Of Evacuated Rolling Hills Estates Homes

Two people are in police custody after an alleged attempt to break into evacuated homes affected by the landslide in Rolling Hills Estates. Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department deputies were alerted to two people attempting to burglarize homes in the area Thursday morning. According to LASD, the pair attempted to flee into the landslide area but were caught and arrested after being spotted on Torrance Police Department drones. “We are also appalled that there are people who see another person’s misfortune as an opportunity for them to benefit,” the sheriff’s department wrote on Twitter. Deputies have been on-site since Saturday night, working to provide security to the evacuated homes, according to LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn. A total of 17 homes have been evacuated due to the landslide, which began on Saturday. At least 16 homes have been damaged. 

NBC 4

8 Arrested In Los Angeles County Prostitution Bust

Eight people were arrested during a prostitution bust in Pomona on Thursday. The sting operation targeted sex purchasers and human trafficking in the area near East Holt Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard, according to Pomona Police Department. During the operation, undercover officers posed as sex workers and were “contacted by sex purchasers” in the area, police said. Eight people were taken into custody for the alleged solicitation of prostitution: Samuel Antonio Calesahagun, 35, from Azusa, Edgar Bruno Lima, 33, from Pomona, Carlos Amancio, 40, from Pomona, Ray Torres, 46, from La Verne, Cruz Antonio Salinasgarcia, 31, from Azusa, Miguel Bedolla, 54, from Ontario, Jesus Antonio Razo Atilano, 22, from Mira Loma, and Jorge Lara, 19, from Mira Loma. The operation was a joint effort by the Pomona Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team.

KTLA 5

Indiana Inmate Charged With Murder In Deputy's Strangulation Death, Faces Death Penalty

A jail inmate accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Indianapolis during an escape attempt while he was being moved in a van was charged Thursday with murder and prosecutors said they are seeking the death penalty against him. Orlando Mitchell, 34, used his handcuff chain to strangle Deputy John Durm, 61, as the deputy was returning him Monday to the Criminal Justice Center in Indianapolis following a hospital visit, authorities said. Mitchell was formally charged Thursday with two counts of murder and one count each of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and escape. Marion County prosecutors filed court paperwork Thursday seeking the death penalty against Mitchell if he's convicted in Durm's slaying. That filing cites four aggravating circumstances, including that Durm was killed while performing “his duty as a law enforcement officer.” At the time of Durm's killing, Mitchell was awaiting trial for the killing of his ex-girlfriend, Krystal Walton. He had been jailed in that killing since September 2022. “For decades, Deputy John Durm served our community with honor and dignity. Now, it is our duty to secure justice for Deputy Durm and his family,” prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement.

Associated Press

$10K Reward Offered In Shooting Of Alabama Firefighters

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the shooter who wounded two Birmingham firefighters inside their firehouse on July 13. Birmingham Police Department Public Information Officer Truman Fitzgerald stated Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama offered the reward, WIAT reported. The shooter is still at large. Firefighters Jamal Jones and Jordan Meltion were shot inside Fire Station 9 on 27th Street North on Wednesday morning. They are listed in serious and critical condition, respectively. The firefighters had likely just made a shift change and the doors were open, as they usually are for the public. “At this point and time, I feel like it could be a targeted attack,” Thurmond said. “We do not know why it is a targeted attack, and that is one of the things that we are trying to determine at this time. It is extremely unusual for someone to come to target one of our fire stations, and so we are trying to determine why someone would want to target one of those fire stations in Birmingham.” 

PoliceOne

Watch: Florida Deputies Rescue Boy Being ‘Kept Afloat’ By Weeds After Getting Stuck In Pond

A 4-year-old nearly died when he waded through tall grass into a Florida pond and got entangled, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The boy, who has autism, was found after two deputies searching the water found him “being kept afloat by cattails,” officials said in a news release. It happened around 10:30 a.m. July 11, in a rural community northeast of Tampa, and video shows the toddler was virtually invisible in the shoulder-high grass. “A concerned citizen had called 911 regarding a young child seen running across the street and into a nearby pond,” the sheriff’s office said. “Two deputies arrived at the scene and immediately began searching the water. After thoroughly looking through the thick shrubs at the edge of the pond they located the boy, who was being kept afloat by cattails, and pulled him to safety.” The search was more challenging due to the boy being non-verbal. However, he could be heard whimpering as one deputy got in the water for a better view of the bank, video shows. The deputy was nearly submerged when the boy was discovered and handed off to another deputy.

The Charlotte Observer

After Struggle, Firefighters Rescue Woman Who Fell Into Fountain In Lake At MacArthur Park

Firefighters had to rescue a woman Wednesday morning from the water in MacArthur Park. She resisted the help and firefighters had to struggle to get her to safety. She reportedly was pepper-sprayed and fell in, getting stuck in the fountain at the center of the lake. It took rescue teams about 20 minutes to bring her into the boat. After the rescue she was taken to the hospital. She's expected to be OK.

ABC 7

Nationwide 988 Suicide And Crisis Lifeline Now Available In Spanish

Federal officials Thursday announced the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline now offers Spanish text and chat services across the country — with a leading mental health care provider in California saying the move will increase access to “live-saving services.” The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a network of more than 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers around the country, with California responding to more 988 calls than any other state, officials said. “It’s perfect that right here, on the precipice of the one year anniversary, we’re now launching the ability for Spanish-speaking individuals to text and chat,” Shari Sinwelski, Vice President of Crisis Care at Culver City-based Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, told City News Service. It is one of the state’s leading agencies responding to 988 calls. Sinwelski said having a service available in someone’s native language “makes it easier and more comfortable” for people to communicate, consider their culture and understand certain stigmas that may be associated with seeking mental health services.

MyNewsLA

LA City Councilman Kevin De Leon Unveils First Free ADU Standard Plan

Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon Thursday announced the city’s first-ever, pre-approved, free Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plan, aimed at expanding housing opportunities. De Leon leveraged discretionary funds to spearhead the development of the free ADU Standard Plan, which is intended to cut red tape to constructing ADUs and streamlines the approval process by two to four months. “The struggle to find and maintain affordable housing in Los Angeles is no secret,” de Leon said in a statement. “The city’s high cost of living, coupled with a rising demand for housing, has placed an enormous burden on residents.” “As the homeless capital of the nation, Los Angeles is acutely aware of the pressing need to take bold action and create diverse housing options.” The ADU Standard Plan will provide homeowners with an opportunity to save between $20,000 and $30,000 in architectural and design costs. By eliminating these expenses, residents can allocate their resources toward other needs while constructing an ADU, according to de Leon’s office.

MyNewsLA

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.