Undercover LAPD Detective Shot At On 110 Freeway, Unmarked Vehicle Struck By Gunfire

A gunman opened fire Tuesday morning on a Los Angeles police detective working in an undercover surveillance unit that was tracking a potential suspect on the 110 Freeway, authorities said. LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz said the detective was in a vehicle traveling on the 110 near Gage Avenue in South Los Angeles when gunfire erupted about 10:45 a.m. The shooting was not related to the person being tracked, and the detective — who was dressed to blend in with civilians and had no outward indications he was a police officer — was not injured, Muniz said. The unmarked vehicle, however, was struck by gunfire, she said. Although Muniz declined to identify the detective’s unit, two law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the shooting said he is part of the Special Investigation Section of the Robbery-Homicide Division, which tracks potential suspects in violent, often serial, crimes. Muniz said two suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting, although no one has been booked yet. A motive has yet to be determined, authorities said.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. Times, media coalition oppose L.A. lawsuit to claw back police photos from journalist

A coalition of media organizations including the Los Angeles Times threw its support Wednesday behind a local journalist and a group of local activists who were sued by the city of Los Angeles last month after publishing photographs of LAPD officers that the city itself had provided.

Los Angeles Times

Homeless fight near Hollywood school raises safety concerns: 'Pretty wild'

A bloody brawl between two armed homeless people that broke out near a Hollywood middle school on Wednesday is raising concerns from parents and neighbors. There are two homeless encampments on the same block as two schools - Selma Avenue Elementary School and Larchmont Middle School.

Fox 11

Pop Smoke Death: 18-Year-Old Admits To Fatally Shooting Rapper During Hollywood Home-Invasion

An 18-year-old man Friday admitted a Juvenile Court petition charging him with fatally shooting rapper Pop Smoke during a home-invasion robbery in the Hollywood Hills area. The young man -- who was 15 at the time of the crime -- admitted to a first-degree murder charge stemming from the Feb. 19, 2020 killing of the rapper, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, along with an allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm during the crime. He also admitted to the home-invasion robbery count. He is expected to be held in a state juvenile facility until he turns 25 and could not be charged as an adult under state law given his age at the time of the crime. Judge J. Christopher Smith said during the hearing, "That man lost his life over no good reason ... You have no right to take somebody's life. You have no right to take somebody's property." The judge urged the young man and a 19-year-old co-defendant -- the latter of whom admitted a Juvenile Court petition charging him with home-invasion robbery -- to "make better choices" and to understand the pain they had caused, warning them that they could be on the road to state prison or a graveyard if they continued on the same path.

FOX 11

Man Knocked Unconscious During Brawl Caught On Video At Dodger Stadium

A cell phone camera was recording when a brawl erupted outside Dodger Stadium Tuesday night after the Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the Minnesota Twins. A witness, Jonathan Lopez, told KTLA that a group of drunken fans started fighting outside of the centerfield entrance around 10:15 p.m. “They started pushing each other and then they got into a fight … and then a couple of seconds later (one guy) was knocked out on the floor, unconscious,” he said. The cell phone video shows several people wrestling and exchanging punches. Suddenly, a man in a white Clayton Kershaw shirt charges at another man in a dark-colored Dodgers jersey who, with a left hook, knocks him out. The man’s head appears to hit the pavement. Lopez says stadium security guards broke up the fight, put the unconscious man on a stretcher, and handcuffed the man who knocked him out. 

KTLA 5

3 Women Crash Hollywood Hills Party, Stole Clothes, Took Watch Off Sleeping Friend's Wrist, Host Says

Three party-crashers made their way to Hollywood Hills and allegedly stole stuff from the house. A surveillance video shows three women, all of them nicely dressed in going-out attire, excitedly going up the steps that led to a home on North Kings Road in the Hollywood Hills area. Once inside, the women stole clothes from Jana's home. All this happened while the victim was busy hosting a house party. "I didn't see them," said Jana. "I was in the back. They went straight up the stairs, into the bedrooms." Jana said the suspect stole her clothes and some of her jewelry has since gone missing. Jana said her friend, who was asleep in one of the rooms at the time of the break-in, had her watch stolen from her wrist. Since the alleged burglary, two of the three women have since been arrested. A third suspect remains on the run. 

FOX 11

Arraignment Due For Attempted Bank Robbery Suspect

A Los Angeles man who barricaded himself in his car after he allegedly attempted to rob a bank in Koreatown is expected to be arraigned Thursday on federal charges. Oscar Canales, 24, was charged with attempted bank robbery in an indictment filed last week in Los Angeles federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Canales allegedly entered the Bank of Hope in the 2700 block of W. Olympic Boulevard at about 1:30 p.m. on April 13. Dressed in a dark suit, Canales is alleged to have verbally demanded money from two tellers. According to witnesses, he reached into his waistband as if to grab a weapon, court papers show. When Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the bank, Canales was holding a knife in one hand and appeared to be holding another object in his other hand and he threatened to have a bomb, federal prosecutors allege. Almost an hour later, Canales left the bank on foot and barricaded himself in his vehicle for several hours before officers safely removed him. During the standoff, a SWAT team was called and nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution.

MyNewsLA

Koreatown Landlord Accused Of Sexually Harassing Female Tenants

A Koreatown landlord is facing a federal lawsuit after several tenants have accused him of "severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment." According to the United States Department of Justice, Abraham Kesary sexually harassed female residents at his rental property for at least eight years. The lawsuit stated that he subjected women living in his building to a laundry list of unwelcomed sexual behavior, violating the Fair Housing Act. In the complaint, female tenants accused Kesary of offering reduced rent and late fees, sometimes even promising to waive it all together, in exchange for sexual acts, unwelcomed groping, attempted penetration and kissing, making unwelcome sexual advances or comments, and entering their homes without permission or no apparent legitimate reason. "No one should be subjected to demands for sex, sexual comments or propositions in exchange for safe and affordable housing," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "A home is a place of refuge; not a place to be subjected to degrading and unlawful harassment."  

CBS 2

Two Juvenile's Arrested For Robbing Delivery Driver At Gunpoint In Santa Monica

Two juveniles -- one of whom accidentally shot himself in a hand -- were arrested in Santa Monica for allegedly robbing a delivery driver at gunpoint, police said Wednesday. Around 2 p.m. Monday, Santa Monica police responded to a report of an armed robbery at the intersection of Third Street and Idaho Avenue, according to the Santa Monica Police Department. Police said a delivery driver was threatened and robbed by the two suspects at gunpoint. It was unclear what was allegedly stolen. About 20 minutes later, police received a call about shots being fired in the 800 block of Second Street, according to the department. Officers responded to that scene and found a juvenile who had accidentally shot himself in a hand inside a residence, police said. The juvenile, along with another who was at the location, were determined to have been the suspects involved in the earlier armed robbery, police said. The uninjured suspect was taken to a juvenile hall. The injured boy was taken to a hospital and released the following day, then taken to a juvenile hall. Their names and ages were not released.

Westside Current

Father Killed In Hawaiian Gardens, $30,000 Reward Offered For Information

A $30,000 reward is being offered in the search for a gunman who killed a 40-year-old father in Hawaiian Gardens. The victim, Carlos Alvarez-Diaz, was driving with a 14-year-old relative when shots rang out, striking and killing him on the morning of Oct. 8, 2022. His family members are now pleading for answers and justice, hoping the $30,000 reward can help them track down the suspect responsible. Carlos was shot while driving northbound on Norwalk Boulevard at 226th Street. Police found Carlos lying on the ground near his vehicle, with a gunshot wound in his upper torso. The 14-year-old passenger was also shot but survived. “He leaves behind a wife, two girls, and a baby boy who’s never going to meet his dad,” said the victim’s brother, Adrian Alvarez. “He was loved by everybody.” The shooter is described as a Hispanic man in his late teens or early 20s. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and a black beanie. The suspect vehicle is described as a dark-colored, four-door vehicle. The car was last seen traveling northbound on Norwalk Boulevard. “Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department homicide investigators believe there are witnesses in the area who may have seen the suspect or know the suspect’s identity,” said Lt. Patricia Thomas during a news conference Wednesday.

KTLA 5

Rookie Louisville Officer Who Was Shot In The Head Is ‘On The Right Track’ In Recovery

Nickolas Wilt, the Louisville police officer injured in the Old National Bank mass shooting, continues to show signs of improvement after recently being transferred to the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute, according to the Louisville Metro Police Foundation. Doctors, nurses and therapists have been impressed with Wilt’s progress. The foundation said in a Facebook post that Wilt’s “wakefulness has significantly increased” since he began his rehab. The foundation said Wilt is “on the right track” but there are a few areas doctors are closely monitoring. “Despite the challenges he faces on his long road to recovery, his dedication and hard work have yielded noticeable improvements,” the foundation said in the Facebook post. Wilt was taken off all life-sustaining medical equipment on May 10, according to the foundation. He has also shown neurological improvement and is able to follow some commands. Wilt has been hospitalized since April after he was shot in the head by a gunman armed with an AR-15. He has battled pneumonia and other infections during his hospitalization.

Lexington Herald-Leader

Beach Hazard Statements In Effect In LA, Ventura Counties On Thursday Due To Dangerous Rip Currents

A beach hazards statement remains in effect through Thursday evening in coastal areas of L.A. and Ventura Counties due to dangerous rip currents and elevated surf. Areas impacted include Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands, Ventura County beaches, the Malibu coast and Los Angeles County beaches. Coastal flooding occurred in Seal Beach on Wednesday due to elevated surf. Videos and pictures showed ocean water rising onto streets near the coast, impacting homes and businesses there. The National Weather Service is warning that ocean water could rise during evening high tides, which will peak between 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday. People are advised to stay out of the water. Bike paths and walkways in beach areas may be flooded as a result of the surf as well. 

ABC 7

CDC Warns Of An MPOX Rebound Outbreak This Summer

A new cluster of mpox cases in the United States — following nearly seven months of steady decline — is leading health officials to warn of a possible rebound outbreak this summer. Chicago health officials recently reported 20 new cases and are urging people there to get vaccinated. Major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York are ramping up public awareness campaigns and vaccination programs, especially targeting men who have sex with men and transgender people. They warn that cases of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, could easily spread as the summer LGBTQ pride parades get underway. “Spring and summer season in 2023 could lead to a resurgence of mpox as people gather for festivals and other events,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a health alert on Monday. The CDC warned that without additional vaccination and other virus-mitigating measures, a rebound outbreak could “be as large or larger than in 2022.” While anyone can get mpox, the virus has so far largely affected gay and bisexual men in the U.S. It is not a sexually transmitted virus, but close physical contact is the primary mode of infection.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. Council Set To Approve Amended Version Of City Budget

The Los Angeles City Council will meet in a special session Thursday, when it is expected to approve its amended version of Mayor Karen Bass' proposed $13 billion city budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year. City Council President Paul Krekorian and Budget, Finance, and Innovation Committee Chair Bob Blumenfield said in a joint statement Wednesday that the body is "poised to pass" the spending plan, following several weeks of analysis by the budget committee and hours of public hearings. Bass unveiled her proposal on April 18 -- and all its many elements are subject to amendment by the council. However, Krekorian's and Blumenfield's statement noted that the budget on which the council will vote Thursday contains "an unprecedented $1.3 billion being allocated to address the homelessness crisis and further investment in public safety, unarmed crisis response teams, climate change efforts and infrastructure," among its elements.

Westside Current

LA Councilwoman Looks To Crack Down On “Van-Lords"

Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park is looking to crack down on so-called "van-lords" after a surge of RVs appearing on streets. "There is no neighborhood on the Westside or in L.A. that isn't impacted by RVs and vehicular dwellings," she said. According to the city's latest homeless count, 6,500 people are living in 4,000 RVs littered around the city — a 40% jump from 2018. The growth has frustrated residents, especially those in Park's district, and has prompted the councilwoman to craft a proposal cracking down on the van-lords' RV rentals. The proposal will look to build upon existing safety and business codes to put an end to the, at times, shady business. "Oftentimes these vehicles are dilapidated, broken down, can't possibly pass basic environmental fire, safety or operability standards," said Park. "So this motion seeks to get at that practice ... We cannot have an unregulated industry of individuals who are buying junker RVs off of salvage lots and renting those out to people without any regard for habitability or safety."

CBS 2

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.