Suspect arrested in downtown Los Angeles stabbing tied to murder at homeless encampment
Law Enforcement News
Suspect arrested in downtown Los Angeles stabbing tied to murder at homeless encampment
The 39-year-old homeless man who allegedly stabbed a woman in downtown Los Angeles was wanted for allegedly killing someone last year, according to a law enforcement bulletin a source provided to CBS LA. The law enforcement bulletin identified Kenneth Gibson, 39, as a suspect in a homicide that happened at a homeless encampment at the Eighth Street on-ramp to the 110 Freeway on May 23, 2025. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the victim as 48-year-old Byron Fuentes. Fuentes' family said he became homeless because of a drug addiction. "Byron was a man full of compassion," Fuentes' family wrote in a statement. "He tried so many times to sober up but fell into a deep depression after our mother passed away ... His heart was pure and full of love and now he is reunited with our mother who is the one who taught us how to show that love and kindness to those around us."
South L.A. strip mall shooting leaves 4 injured
Two people were detained and later released in connection with a shooting at a South Los Angeles Strip Mall Wednesday. Calls about the shooting, in the 4700 block of South Broadway near 47th Place, came in around 5:30 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to KTLA. Details are limited and it’s unclear exactly how the incident occurred, but officers reportedly requested several ambulances at the scene, prompting a response from the L.A. Fire Department. At least one person was rushed to the hospital, fire officials confirmed. Officials said that victim, as well as three others, were in stable condition. The two people detained in the shooting were stopped a little more than a half mile from the scene near the intersection of Figueroa Street and Vernon Avenue. Police told KTLA that they were later released after it was determined they were not involved in the incident.
LAPD cracks down on distracted driving as Awareness Month kicks off
Los Angeles police urged drivers Wednesday to stay vigilant on the roads as April 1 kicks off National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The Los Angeles Police Department, citing information from the 2025 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey reported that 71.4% of motorists surveyed said distracted driving caused by texting or checking a phone notification was a high-alert safety concern. Distracted driving continues to put everyone on the road at risk. When drivers take their eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, lives can change forever,'' LAPD Capt. Yvonne Ortiz said. According to police, distractions such as checking a phone, using the in-dash touchscreen or car phone app, adjusting the radio, or eating can result in devastating consequences. A total of 158 people lost their lives in 2023 due to distracted driving crashes in the state, which was a 6.9% increase from the previous year, the LAPD reported, noting the numbers are likely underreported because law enforcement officials are not always able to immediately determine distraction as a factor. During April, officers will be searching for drivers who violate the state's hands-free cell phone law, which bars drivers from holding a phone or other devices while operating a vehicle, even while stopped at a red light.
4 arrested after police discover over $500,000 worth of stolen catalytic converters in massive Los Angeles County bust
Four suspects were arrested after police discovered over $500,000 worth of stolen catalytic converters during a massive bust in Norwalk. Baldwin Park police detectives began the months-long investigation in July 2025 following a troubling uptick in catalytic converter thefts across the city. As detectives investigated the case, they realized neighboring cities were also experiencing a “similar and significant rise in catalytic converter thefts,” the department said. Through shared intelligence and resources among local sheriff’s and police departments, investigators identified two key locations in the case — a South Los Angeles site where stolen converters were being illegally purchased and a secondary storage location in Norwalk. On March 31, officers from the Baldwin Park and Chino Police Departments, along with deputies from the Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County sheriff’s departments, conducted an enforcement operation at the Norwalk property.
10 kilos of cocaine worth $1 million seized during traffic stop in California
Two people were arrested after 10 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $1 million were seized during a traffic stop in Merced County on Tuesday, according to the California Highway Patrol. At approximately 7:06 p.m., CHP Merced officers conducted a stop on a Honda Accord for a traffic violation on northbound SR-99, south of Mission Avenue, the CHP said. During the stop, the driver and passenger gave officers consent to search inside the vehicle. With help from Central Division K-9 officers and Merced Area Gang Narcotic Enforcement Team agents, authorities reportedly found two concealed compartments hidden beneath the front seats. The suspected cocaine was found inside the compartments. Both occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody.
Mississippi deputy killed in shootout with woman while responding to domestic disturbance
A Jackson County Sheriff’s Department deputy has died following a shootout with a suspect while responding to a domestic disturbance, WLOX reported. The April 1 incident began as deputies responded to the domestic call at around 11 p.m., Sheriff John Ledbetter said. Deputy Michael Jimerson engaged in a brief foot pursuit of a woman, after which she exchanged gunfire with Jimerson, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Jimerson was transported to a hospital, where he died. The woman was also killed during the incident. No other deputies were injured. “Deputy Jimerson was a valued member of our law enforcement family and a trusted friend to many. His loss is deeply felt across the department and the community he served. We extend our heartfelt condolences and prayers to his family, friends, and the men and women of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department,” Ledbetter stated. Jimerson was hired with the department in 2010 as a reserve deputy and sworn in as a deputy in 2014.
BWC: Man fleeing from Maryland officer shoots at him in ambush before OIS
The Montgomery County Department of Police released body camera footage showing an officer-involved shooting of a fleeing suspect who ambushed an officer during a pursuit. The March 24 incident began as officers patrolled an area where there had been reports of robberies, drug use and assaults, according to police. Officers witnessed a man attempting to make contact with a known drug user and began to approach him. When the man spotted the cruiser, he walked away before encountering an officer and his training partner, according to police. The man fled into an apartment complex after officers attempted to stop him. Body camera video shows an officer pursuing the suspect while identifying himself as a police officer and ordering the suspect to stop. The suspect continued to flee through the apartment complex, eventually turning a corner and disappearing behind a building. There, he waited for the pursuing officer to approach before opening fire. The officer had not yet drawn his service weapon when he was shot at by the hidden suspect. The suspect continued to fire shots at the pursuing officers from behind the building. Despite being fired upon, the officers continued to pursue the suspect.
BWC: Pellet gun-wielding man attacks N.J. officer, grabs at his gun after being shot
Body cam and surveillance footage released on Wednesday shows the suspect in a fatal police-involved shooting attacking an officer after being shot. The encounter happened on Sept. 5 of last year near the intersection of JFK Boulevard and Clinton Avenue. The suspect, previously identified as Steven B. Sanchez, 26, of Jersey City, died from gunshot wounds, authorities said. Sgt. Ricardo Reyes has been identified as the officer who shot him. An air pistol that he had been armed with was recovered from the scene, officials said. On Wednesday, the state Attorney General’s Office released surveillance and body cam videos in accordance with state laws. In the footage, multiple Jersey City Police officers can be seen standing near parked cars, drawing their weapons and demanding Sanchez to drop the air pistol. Sanchez can be seen on the sidewalk pointing the gun at officers. During the encounter, a passerby on the sidewalk quickly runs away after the officers alert him about the armed suspect. Officers are then heard telling Sanchez to drop the weapon more than five times before he is shot. “Put it down. Put it down. Put it down,” one of the officers says leading up to the shooting. “Don’t do it. Hey listen, put it down. Put it down. Put it down.”
Public Safety News
Firefighters rescue family dog from Sherman Oaks house fire
A Sherman Oaks family is celebrating a joyful reunion after Los Angeles firefighters saved their dogs from a house fire Wednesday night. The fire was reported just after 8:30 p.m. at a home on West Rhinestone Drive, where flames from a pine tree and downed power lines spread to an attached garage, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. In the chaos of the emergency, the family dog went missing, sparking fears for their safety as smoke filled the area. However, firefighters were able to successfully locate the dog unharmed and quickly return the dog to its grateful owners. While the family is back together, fire crews are conducting a final overhaul to ensure the structure is safe. The LAFD will continue to investigate the sequence of what led to the downed power wires and pine tree igniting.
MAP: ‘Cicada’ COVID variant detected in California
A COVID-19 variant with a catchy nickname is causing concern, despite making up a small fraction of current cases. The BA.3.2 variant was first detected in South Africa in late 2024 before making its way to the United States, where it’s been increasingly detected in wastewater samples since September of 2025. It earned the nickname the “Cicada” variant since it mutated from the omicron strain, which has been somewhat dormant for years – just like cicada broods rest dormant underground before emerging every few years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses wastewater surveillance as a tool to survey the spread of COVID-19 and its many variants. The agency has also detected the BA.3.2 in nasal swabs from travelers and clinical samples from patients sick with the virus. So far, the BA.3.2 variant has been confirmed in more than half of U.S. states: California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.
