Teen Shot Dead, 2 Others Injured Near Beverly Center

A 17-year-old boy was shot to death and two other males were wounded near the Beverly Center Sunday and the shooter was still at large, authorities said. Officers were dispatched at 3:50 a.m. to West Third Street and South Orlando Avenue, where 17-year-old Zackary Dickson-Hislop of Los Angeles was pronounced dead, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Paramedics rushed a 17-year-old boy and a 26-year-old man to nearby Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, where they were listed in stable condition. The suspect was last seen fleeing the area on foot southbound on Orlando Avenue, police said. LAPD West Bureau homicide detectives urged anyone with information about the shooting to call them at 213-382-9470 or 877-527-3247. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go to www.lapdonline.org.

FOX 11

L.A. Schoolteacher Charged With Sexually Assaulting 6 First-Graders

A Los Angeles first-grade teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting six female students, the L.A. County district attorney’s office announced Wednesday afternoon. Martin Reyes Jr., 29, who taught at Sunrise Elementary School in Boyle Heights, faces 10 counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14. Reyes, a Northeast Los Angeles resident, was arrested Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement this week. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 27, according to the district attorney’s office. He remains in custody with bail set at $1 million, jail records show. Authorities said the family of a female student contacted law enforcement on May 22 and alleged that Reyes had sexually assaulted her, according to the district attorney’s office. LAPD investigators have since identified five more girls with similar allegations. The alleged assaults were all said to have occurred inside a classroom during recess, according to the district attorney’s office, and all of the girls were students enrolled in Reyes’ class.

Los Angeles Times

4 Arrested In Separate Sexual Assaults In San Fernando Valley

The Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday announced the arrests of four men in connection with separate sexual assaults in the San Fernando Valley and authorities are seeking additional victims. The incidents occurred between June 28 and July 7 and the victims range in ages between 9 and 55, according to the LAPD. One of the suspects, 43-year-old Edgar Munoz, previously worked as an English teacher at Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley and other schools. He was arrested on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor in Chatsworth dating back to 2019, according to LAPD. Police said some of the incidents involving Munoz occurred on campus and during school hours. Cedric Tinsley, 25, was arrested after allegedly breaking into a home, beating, choking and sexually assaulting a person before taking off in the victim’s car. He was being held without bail, police said. Police believe he may have victimized others and indicated that he has ties to Simi Valley and other areas of Ventura County and Santa Clarita.

KTLA 5

How L.A. Metro Is Addressing Safety At Its Most Dangerous Station

With around 20,000 passengers passing through it each day, the Westlake/MacArthur Park Station is one of L.A. Metro’s busiest. It is also the most dangerous. Last February, 113 crimes were reported at this station, and, over a two-month period last summer, there was nearly one call to the police from this station every day. L.A. Metro is working to make conditions safer and has given KTLA an exclusive look at its new pilot program. Among the initiatives: better lighting and changes to the ambiance. “Some of the lights down here have been replaced by brighter LEDs,” said Stephen Tu, senior director at the L.A. Metro who is in charge of the changes. In addition to lighting and playing music, air is now blowing on the platforms. The Metro also blocked off one of the two entrances at this station and funnel their passengers to one entrance where officers are checking to make sure everyone has a valid fare. Tu said this has improved safety and decreased the number of homeless people seeking shelter inside. 

KTLA 5

Police Seeking Hit-and-Run Motorist In Pedestrian Injury In Pacoima

Authorities Wednesday sought the public’s help to find the hit-and-run motorist responsible for critically injuring a pedestrian in Pacoima. Paramedics sent to Glenoaks Boulevard north of Montford Street about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday took the injured man, in his late 60s, to a hospital, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. “A light-colored, possibly silver sedan was traveling northbound Glenoaks Boulevard … at a high rate of speed when it veered to the right, crossed over the bicycle lane, and collided with a pedestrian,” police said in a statement. “The victim was standing next to the driver’s door of his legally parked vehicle when he was struck,” police said. A standing reward of up to $25,000 has been offered by the city of Los Angeles for information that helps solve a non-fatal hit-and-run. Anyone with information about the case was urged to call detectives at 818-644-8036, or 877-LAPD-247. Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, or use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org.

MyNewsLA

VIDEO: West Hollywood Restaurant Owner Stops Robbery, Takes Gun From Suspect

Surveillance video captured the terrifying moments that unfolded at a restaurant along the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. The video shows two suspects attacking and attempting to rob a man at gunpoint over the weekend at Le Petit Four as tables and chairs went flying. Alexander Morgenthaler, the restaurant’s owner, ended up being the hero in the situation. The footage shows Morgenthaler jumping in and grabbing the gun from the suspect’s hand. With no weapon, the suspects ran away from the scene. Morgenthaler’s heroics paid off. No injuries were reported and nothing was taken from the victim.

FOX 11

Police Seek Suspect In Two Westchester Armed Robberies

Police sought the public's help Wednesday to identify and locate a man suspected of two armed robberies in the Westchester area. Officers responded to the 8900 block of Sepulveda Boulevard near Drollinger Way at around 9:25 p.m. July 2 to a report about an armed robbery. The suspect pointed a silver semi-automatic handgun at a victim shortly after asking the man for a cigarette, then demanded his property before fleeing the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspect approached another victim in the 5800 block of West Manchester Boulevard near South Prairie Avenue at around 9:40 p.m. by his vehicle and again asked for a cigarette, police said. The suspect walked away from the location but returned a short time later, pointing a silver semi-automatic handgun at the victim, then demanded the man's property before fleeing the scene in a vehicle believed to be a four- door Mercedes, police said. Detectives described the suspect as between 17 and 25 years old, between 5-feet-6 inches and 5-feet-8 inches tall and around 135 pounds. He was last seen wearing light blue jeans with a tear on the left knee and white Velcro high-top shoes.

Westside Current

Ex-USC Athletics Official Sentenced To Prison In Admissions Scandal Released

A former senior USC athletics administrator who was sentenced to six months behind bars for her role in the fraud and bribery scheme in which the children of wealthy parents gained admission to some of the country’s top universities as fake sports recruits has been released from custody, records show. Donna Heinel, 61, was released from prison on July 5, according to federal court records. Heinel pleaded guilty in November 2021 in Boston federal court to “honest services” wire fraud for arranging for more than two dozen students to get into USC in exchange for over $1.3 million in bribes. Prosecutors wrote in court papers that Heinel “abused a position of trust in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission of the offense.” As part of her sentence, Heinel was ordered to serve two years of supervised release after prison and pay forfeiture in the amount of $160,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

MyNewsLA

North Carolina Deputies Rescue Missing Florida Teen During Traffic Stop

A child abduction was stopped thanks to deputies with the Nash County Sheriff's Office. On July 4, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with Florida plates on Interstate 95. As the deputy was observing the vehicle and asking the driver routine questions, they developed reasonable suspicion to believe there was criminal activity, the sheriff's office said. The driver gave consent to a vehicle search and during that search, two vape THC cartridge pens were located inside the driver's door and center console. During an investigation, deputies learned the 16-year-old female passenger was reported missing five hours prior to the traffic stop by the Coral Springs Police Department in the state of Florida. The teen was transported to juvenile services where she was transported to the Wake County Juvenile Detention Center awaiting pickup by her family from Florida. The sheriff's office said the suspect was not known to the family and he did not have permission to transport the juvenile across state lines. The suspect, identified as Alejandro Hernandez Vazquez, was given a $500,000 secured bond and a $5,000 secured bond for the other charges related to the narcotics violations.

PoliceOne

Alabama Firefighters Shot Inside Fire Station

Two Birmingham firefighters were shot Wednesday morning at a fire station in the city’s Norwood community. Birmingham Fire Chief Cory Moon said both were taken to a hospital. Moon said he did not know their conditions or what led to the shooting. Police are said to be looking for a suspect in a silver car. The shooting happened just before 8:30 a.m. at Station 9. Birmingham police and Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service were called to the station, at 1228 27th Str. N., where the firefighters had reportedly been shot in the chest and legs. At least one caller reported hearing shots and ran to take cover in the bathroom. Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond said the shooter entered the fire station through the open bay door, which typically remains open to be accessible to residents who need their blood pressure checked or other help or information. The shooting happened shortly after they started their shift. The early indication is that this was a targeted attack, Thurmond said.

PoliceOne

Gun Deaths Dropped Slightly In 2022 — But Were Still High

Gun deaths fell slightly in the United States in 2022, with homicides leading the decrease, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figures suggest that while overall deaths have declined, they remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. A total of 48,117 people died of gunshot wounds last year, according to the CDC data, the second highest single-year tally on record. That’s a 1.5 percent decrease from 2021, when 48,830 people died of gunshot wounds. The data comes from the CDC’s WONDER database, which collects mortality information from death certificates at the state level. The estimates are provisional, and are likely to change slightly before final figures are released in December. While the data is not yet final, it provides the most comprehensive and accurate accounting of gun deaths in America. Firearm injury was the 12th- leading cause of death in the country in 2022, eclipsing car crashes for the sixth year in a row. The gap between the two widened even further last year as motor vehicle deaths fell year-over-year. The age-adjusted gun death rate in 2022 was 14.4 per 100,000 people, a slight decline from 2021, which recorded the highest rate since 1993. 

The Trace

Woman Rescued As Firefighters Battled Large Apartment Fire In Hollywood

At least one person was rescued Wednesday as firefighters battled a large fire that spread to multiple apartment buildings in Hollywood. The fire broke out around 5:21 p.m. at a building on 7764 W Hollywood Blvd., just east of Fairfax Avenue. Investigators said two vehicles were spotted burning in a carport. The fires then spread to two of three apartment buildings in the area. Steve Nelson, who manages a building across the street, reported seeing "cars exploding" in the back area. "It was pretty intense for all of us," he said. "The smoke ... you couldn't see." AIR7 HD captured a two-story building engulfed in flames. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the fire in that building caused severe damage to the attic and 16 apartment units on the second floor, including "structural compromise and partial collapse."

ABC 7

Firefighter Injured Battling 2nd Alarm Structure Fire In La Crescenta

A firefighter was injured while battling a Second Alarm fire at a commercial building in La Crescenta on Wednesday. According to Los Angeles County Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the fire near Foothill Boulevard and Ramsdell Avenue at around 3:25 p.m. Due to the size of the building, firefighters immediately declared the blaze a Second Alarm fire. As the 65 firefighters battled the fire, a portion of the building collapse. One firefighter was injured, according to the department, but there was no information provided on how he was hurt or the status of his injuries. The cause of the fire is not immediately known. 

CBS 2

Los Angeles County Fire Department Welcomes Arson Dog To Its Investigations Unit

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has added a new specialist to its arson investigations unit, one who particularly has a nose for the job. On Wednesday, the Fire Department introduced Julia, a 1-year-old golden retriever and labrador mix, to its team. Julia has a unique set of skills and was trained to detect accelerants and other ignitable liquids, which will aid investigators in their work. She was trained by Maine Specialty Dogs, a world-renowned training program on the East Coast, as part of its prestigious Arson Dog Program. The program is sponsored by insurance provider State Farm, which has paid for the acquisition and training of more than 450 dogs and canine teams across North America since 1993. About one-eighth of a dog’s brain is dedicated to scent processing, State Farm says, which makes them the perfect tool for sniffing out accelerants like gasoline and lighter fluid, as well as other chemicals used in the commission of arson.

KTLA 5

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.